The Sun and The Moon
by Blue eyes Red heart
Summary: AU, Lu Ten never died. But some fates can not be escaped.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter one**

Katara was contemplating shoving the Avatar back inside the ice burg that she fished him out of two years ago. Really he owed her - a minor detail he often forgot when he set his mind to something. Like today with this bright idea of racing down the canals of the Northern Water Tribe City.

The elders have long since stopped considering her an inferior girl not worthy of learning their water bending traditions as long as she practices them with honor and respect. Katara had a good feeling that racing down Main Street on a block of ice at dangerous speeds somehow reflected badly on that understanding. But did Aang even think about how his impulsive behavior reflected on her, or her father? Of course not. Then again she had never mentioned it to him.

Could have, many times, probably should, sometime in the distant future, she thinks to herself setting her feet firmly to the edge of the canal looking up to her bouncing best friend watching him position himself for the starting signal. Anyways, Aang makes a fantastic excuse for all of her juvenile behavior, he is her responsibility and with him being Avatar they get away with so much more than she ever did on her own. That is why she lets him lead the way, and that is why even though he started the argument about air vs. water with the intent to rope her into this race, she let him. Because no matter how much trouble he gets them in, Aang would never let her burn alone. Aang will always be there at her side protecting her, as she will be for him.

Katara takes a deep breath through her nose before slowly breathing out through her mouth calming herself. This was going to be cake, Aang never had a chance, air against water, please his air scooter was fast but her surf board was faster.

"Ready, Katara, Aang?" Sokka shouts from the closest bridge ten feet from their starting point. Both nod looking expectantly at the older boy. "Okay no bending on each other, got it. No cheating! This is a five mile stretch Momo is waiting at the finish to declare a winner. Between the two of us will keep you two honest."

"Says the boy that stole the rest of the seal jerky on the way to the Earth Kingdom last spring and then blamed it on Appa!" Katara yells at her brother.

"Hey I still claim my innocence, and you have no proof." Sokka squeals.

"Except the seal blubber that was cascading down your chin." Aang shoots back offended by the insinuation of possible fraudulence.

"Hey! You two are enemies right now, no teaming up against officials."

"Sokka!" Both yell hoping to get on with it before Chief Anook gets word of what they are up to.

"OK! OK! Jeeze. On your marks, get set go!" Sokka shouts watching in wonder as his sister and her best friend blur by at amazing speeds.

Katara did not hesitate running full out to the edge of the sidewalk before launching herself into the air. Her feet hit the water, arms formed her surf board and her body pulling a strong current to guide her all simultaneously. The air dropped a few degrees around her as she speed along the water's surface pushing herself to go faster to twist and turn her body to give her the advantage over her terrain. As they speed on a few canoes bock her way but were easily avoided with a simple maneuver- catapulting her out of the water and over the obstacle. She knew they were neck and neck she could see Aang in her peripheral vision and tell he was having as much trouble avoiding people as she was canoes.

Then all the sudden a fish merchant and his cart comes into view the space between the wall and the cart is too slim for Aang to speed through but before Katara even thinks to point this out Aang spins up the wall over the cart and out of the way. Katara lets out a sigh of relief before pitching forward landing hard on top of someone. Her surf board shatters against the side of the canoe and she hit her head on something very solid and sooth all because her eyes were on Aang and his display of air bending. She should have been watching where she was going not watching the Avatar.

"Oh! Katara! Are you okay?" A familiar voice asked from behind her. Katara would know that voice anywhere having been acquainted with the Northern Water Tribe princess since she was twelve.

"I think so?" Katara answered beginning to pull herself off whoever she landed on when her head began to spin and her body sway.

"Or not." Two strong arms wrapped around her waist to steady her before pulling her up in their lap. This voice was smooth, quiet and very masculine.

"I'm sorry." Katara reached up to touch the knot already forming on her forehead assessing the damage.

"You'll make it worse." The male holding her stated pulling her hand down and cupping her face in his own big ones. His palms were warm though the skin was rough, once more Katara looked up hoping the dizziness had passed to meet the guarded stare of two golden eyes.

She heard his breath hitch as his eyes wondered along her face. As he examined her she examined him. He was very handsome, and younger than his voice suggested. He couldn't be any older than her brother, but he held himself like a man. His arrogance was written in the angular position of his chin and the straight balance of his shoulders. He was frowning, as if he found something particularly displeasing about her so she simply frowned back to prove she wouldn't be intimidated. This only made his eyes narrow forcing her to acknowledge the burn scar that took up a fourth of his face, circling his left eye and fanning up to consume his ear then right up into his hair line. It gave Katara the impression of a hand print, and she wondered if someone deliberately did this to him or if it was an fire bending accident. She could tell by the metal plates of his uniform that he was Fire Nation military which obviously meant they finally arrived to discuss a treaty, a month late and the day of Yue's sixteenth birthday.

"Is she okay, Prince Zuko?" Yue asked clearly worried as she watched the fire nation prince exam her friend.

"She might have a concussion." He states pulling Katara to her feet and steadying her with one hand. She watches in fascination as a small flame ignites and dances gracefully in the palm of his other hand. "Follow the flame with your eyes." He commands and she can't help but obey her eyes never leaving the fire as he slowly passes it across her face. She can feel the warmth but is not scared. She knows he will not burn her not in front of Yue- that would resolve nothing between their people. Then the flame goes out and the scar on his face seems to stand out more distinctly against the pale of his skin.

Instinctively she calls the water wrapping it around her hand in a glowing glove before reaching up to touch the boy's face. He flinches back before she makes contact and hears her name being called from above. Her hand drops- the water splashes on the deck of the canoe and she spins looking up to watch Aang jumping down into the canoe, the sudden movement makes her dizzy and darkness consumes her as Aang lands at her side his arms surrounding her before the world fades to black.

Aang pulls Katara up in his arms positioning her with ease against his blue parka so her head laid against his shoulder while one arm wrapped around her waist and the other under her thighs. She weighed no more than a child and fit comfortably against his chest. "What happened?" He asked patiently, looking at Yue clearly ignoring the fire nation boy.

"She fell on top of Prince Zuko, I think she hit her head against his armor. You should take her to Yogoda." Yue answered clearly concerned.

Only then does Aang look at the Fire nation soldier. "I am sorry if our race interfered with you time with Princess Yue. Please excuse us, your highness." His tone is polite but hard, startling Yue, she had never heard Aang with such ice in his voice.

"It's…" Zuko starts but is interrupted by Yue.

"Will she be alright for tonight?"

"Only Yogoda can answer that. But I know how much it means to Katara to honor you, and Master Paku. If she his conscious she will be there." Aang states jumping up performing a back flip on to the sidewalk, Katara perfectly secure in his arms the whole time.

That is when Yue notices the boy waiting on the side walk uncharacteristically solemn. His wolf tale immaculately in place, his boomerang secure in its holster on his back. His shoulders are tense and his mouth hard, he is worried about his sister. Yue watches him wishing she could wrap her arms around him to ease this worry, then he turns his blue eyes on her and she can't help but blush. He nods once in acknowledgement before following Aang and an unconscious Katara from her canoe and though Prince Zuko of the fire nation stands beside her she feels just as lonely as she always does when the Southern water tribe children leave her every summer to return home.

Zuko knew the look on Yue's face it was one he had been acquainted with since childhood every time Lu Ten would leave with Iroh on whatever campaign they were assigned, leaving him all alone with his sister and father. His mother his only companion, but not even she could protect him from Azula.

"Would you like to return to the palace?" He asked, if only to break the uncomfortable silence and her awkward staring after the group that just departed.

"If you want." She answered quietly. It had been the same since he arrived two hours ago. Anything he wanted, yes if he would like to the see the city she would be honored to accompany him. She had no opinions, she was gracious, hospitable and utterly boring. It was only when the strange girl, Katara, got hurt did he see any emotion or sign of individuality from this Water Tribe princess. He wondered why a group of peasant children meant so much to her. Then something clicked in his head. Something he had not realized because he had been in such shock.

"The girl is a water bender." He voiced out loud, his surprise clearly caught the princess' attention. Perhaps her assessment of him was similar to his of her. Both raised with a set of rules to hide any kind of individuality. "A female, water bender, in the Northern Tribe, not only a healer but a bender too?" Because even a foreigner caught the perplexity of this single fact.

Yue's eyes narrowed on him, he saw for the first time judgment in her eyes and knew she was far more clever than she let on. "Katara is of the Southern Tribe. She is their last bender, born fifty years after the southern raiders massacred their benders. It was our duty, to our sister tribe to train her, and send aid to their people." She stated, clearly justifying her tribe's decision to go against thousands of years of tradition for this one little girl.

"The boys they were her brothers." He states but the question is there.

"Sokka is." Yue answers roughly.

"The boy with the bandanna. The one that caught her?" He tried to clarify.

"Why does it matter?" Yue asked a defiant bite in her tone.

"I'm just trying to understand, who these children are and what importance they hold to the tribe."

He watches Yue bite her lower lip in apparent anger. He made her angry and a small part of him is pleased by this. Perhaps she does have fire, perhaps he could marry this girl as his uncle wishes.

Then the cold mask is back on and she is staring at him, her features schooled to appear bored.

"Chief Hakko's children are honored guests here as are you. They will be protected while in the city. We own them much." She answers without answering anything. Zuko now finds himself frustrated.

"Chief Hakko's children. The girl, Katara, is the Southern tribe's princess, her bother is older - the one on the sidewalk, the one you were staring at." He watches her blush again and he suddenly understands. He came here to woo her to marry the northern water tribe's princess but she is already in love with this Prince Sokka. That could complicate things. "You know why I'm here." he asked through gritted teeth feeling more compassion for this girl then he ever felt for anyone in his life.

"I understand what your presence means. The duty to my people means I will honor them by securing peace no matter the personal cost to myself." Yue declares emotionlessly.

"And make a miserable and bitter Fire Lady for it." Zuko predicts watching her closely for any sign to her thoughts.

"The Northern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation seem very similar, what you call honor we call duty and to me they seem to mean the same thing. What I want and what I must do very rarely line up to be the same, I have learned to sacrifice I have learned to do so graciously and without resentment. I will marry you if that is what my father wishes, I will move to the Fire Nations, I will be a dutiful wife, but I will love Sokka and only Sokka until the day I die. Surly this cannot be significant to you. You have been here for a very short time but already I see that you scoff at the very notion of love, there is no girl at home you would prefer over me if you were allowed such a choice?" Yue asked, the conversation asking more from Zuko than he had ever gave.

He thought on this a moment, of Mai and how she blushed anytime he was near. She was cute enough and who his sister and mother would have chosen for him, but would he had chosen Mai for himself? He doubted it, like the girl before him she was simply without luster, shiny on the outside and dull on the inside.

"No. There is a girl that I probably would had married if it were not for the treaty between your people and mine, but she would had been my mother's choice not mine."

"We are interchangeable, to you?"

Zuko felt like this question was a trap. "This offends you." He states not denying it, because he thinks perhaps it's true.

"No, I just find it terribly sad. Sokka may never be mine, but I know I will always be his."

"That brings you comfort? To love a man you can't have, that I find terribly sad."

"But you don't love at all, I dare say you not even particularly fond of anyone, or anything."

"I'm very fond of my swords."

"I bet you even sleep with them."

"I think its fortunate I can't love, I'm able to think clearer without distractions, and there will never be the disappointment that I can't have someone I love. This makes me strong."

"Can't, no. You can. And when you do fall in love it will hit you hard."

"Woman, like you said, are interchangeable for me. I do not see anything that would cause me to act as Lu Ten does when we are near Kioshi Island."

Yue looks confused.

"There are a band of warrior women who defend their land. Lu Ten is smitten with their leader."

"Suki? How could he possibly know Suki?"

"You know these girls?"

"Only from stories. Suki is one of Katara's best friends, she trained with them for a whole season after she mastered water bending. They stop by the island on their way here and on their way home every year."

"You speak of her often and without meaning to."

"Who? Suki?"

"No the water bender the love of your life's sister. You thought you would be her sister too someday, this also breaks your heart."

"At least I have a heart to break." Yue snaps.

Zuko smirks. "Perhaps I should get to know this family, they mean so much to you. How old is your sister-in-law? Is she marriage age? Perhaps I should ask uncle if I could have her then you can have your Sokka."

In an instant Yue's face is bright red, she is furious.

"Stay away from her!" Yue screams at him.

"Why? She is pretty, a princess and very interchangeable." Zuko is pushing hard now, he has no intention of making good on his taunts but to see Yue this upset over something anything, is humors to him especially after her taunts on him being heartless.

"She is fourteen. Still a child. You will leave her alone..or.."

"Or what, your highness? Fourteen, perhaps for the sake of peace they'll make an exception and let me have her two years early. What do you think?" His grinning enjoying every minute of watching Yue so worked up. Her face red, tears in her eyes and her fist clinched, she's holding a lot of it back, he wonders what it would take to get her to hit him. She looks like she is really considering it. Then she takes a shallow breath and the flush disappears from her face, she flexes her fingers and a calm eerie smile stretched her lips up and over her perfectly white teeth.

"Perhaps you should talk with your Uncle Iroh about this before you bring it up to anyone else." The tears are still in her eyes but her expression says that she knows something that he does not.

"My Uncle told me I would marry a water tribe princess, he wasn't specific on which one." Zuko responses grasping thin air and knowing it.

"He sent you to the Northern water tribe with a peace treaty on their princess' sixteenth birthday, I would have thought it was kind of obvious on which princess he meant. Doesn't take a man of logic to figure this one out." He was trying to understand how she was able to turn the conversation back in her favor when she insulted him. Perhaps this girl was apt to be the next fire lady.

"Doesn't matter either way; you, the water bender, the girl from home anyone of you would be suitable, a woman does after all only serve one purpose."

"I only have one purpose, I do not know the fire nation girl you speak of so I cannot defend her, but Katara will change the very fabric of this world, she was born with a destiny." Yue stands, and Zuko realizes the canoe has been tethered to a dock. He had forgotten all about their driver who was now helping Yue out of the boat. "If you will excuse me prince Zuko I would like to check on my friend before the celebration tonight. I trust you can find your way to your rooms." Then she left without a backwards glance and Zuko was left with the impression that he had finally somehow offended the Northern Water Tribe Princess. This thought lightened his mood considerably.

Katara felt cold. She flexed her fingers and immediately the water was called, small waves danced up from the waiting pool she was submerged in covering her almost naked body. Her goose bumps felt immediate relief, her body temperature adjusting the water to warm her up. She heard a single sigh of relief and knew she had to be in Yogoda's healing hut submerged in the healer's pool.

She sat up to an audience. Master Pakku stood next to the door his scowl deep and hard as his eyes meant hers, he nodded once then turned and walked out.

"You would think from the way he fussed when she was unconscious he would act a little bit more relieved to see she's fine." Sokka stated walking over and wrapping a heavy parka around his sister. "Are you ok? I heard you ran into the fire nation prince, and he was so hideous you fainted. Next time could you try not to swoon over royalty, it's not good for the warrior persona the southern tribes have spent centuries to achieve." Katara's response to her brother's humor was to push him into the waiting pool she just emerged from. He came up spluttering, pulling his wet parka up and over his head before grabbing a towel off a nearby shelf, mumbling the whole time, how his sister certainly didn't share his humor, and that needed to be remedied.

Katara stepped off the platform and into Aang's waiting embrace. He used a water bending maneuver she had taught him to dry her off, ignoring Sokka's shout of injustice, then stepped back and began to hand her the clothes she had been wearing prior to her accident. Aang stood there looking smug but remained silent, no doubt the irritated look she shot him when he handed her, her boots intimidated him to hold his tongue. She knew he wanted to gloat, he felt as though he won the race, Katara did not share this opinion and as soon as the fire nation was out the front gates she would be demanding a rematch.

This was how Yue found them. Aang grinning at a glowering Katara and Sokka in his underwear drying himself off all the while complaining loudly about benders and their lack of respect for superior warriors of steel and stealth. She must have made some kind of sound for all three turned to look at her, she let herself in standing in front of the door unable to tear her focus from the almost naked man by the healing pools.

"Yue?" Katara asked, pushing past Aang, who was suddenly over taken with a bout of uncontrollable laughter. "Grow up!" Katara shouted at her friend this seemed to only make him laugh harder. She chanced a look over her shoulder to her brother who for unknown reasons was flexing and posing in different bodybuilder poses, poor Yue's face was completely scarlet and she seemed to of forgotten her reason for her visit. Katara kindly took Yue's arm and lead her out of the hut and into the fresh air. "Boys." Katara mumbled shaking her head at their juvenile antics. Pulling a dazed Yue along until they reached the west palace courtyard. She led Yue to an ice bench and then made herself comfortable beside her friend. "So," Katara began. "Is there something I can help you with, Yue?"

Yue seemed able to shake herself from her stupor and smile warmly at her friend. "Yes, I love you, so I want you to know how much it would honor me for you to perform tonight at my birthday, but I do not feel as though it is the right time to show case your talents in front of the fire nation. I would like it if you stepped down from the performance and instead sit with me at my father's table."

Katara could read her friend well, there was a reason for this request, one that was tearing her friend in two. "Did you father ask you to put this to me, or Pakku?"

The look of honest shock on Yue's face was enough to know she was not being lead. "No, neither, my father of Pakku, would disgrace you so. They both honor you as a surrogate daughter. Surly after all this time you know this."

"Then I don't understand why you ask this of me. Is this because of today, with the fire nation prince? Was he angry?" Katara asked trying to figure out Yue's motives.

"No, the opposite, actually." Yue whispered.

Still Katara heard her. "What do you mean the opposite?"

"I know no one has spoken with you of certain expectations of the fire nation and a certain duty to my country, but I think I can safely guess you understand the implication of the Prince's arrival on my sixteenth birthday. It was not accidental."

"No. I did assume as much. That an arranged marriage could possibly be a term for the treaty that we would all like to see pass. But, Yue you could not serious think your father would allow you to marry the fire nation."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Chief Anook would never allow it."

"Katara, my tribe is not like yours. We have customs that the southern tribes do not practice. I will have an arranged marriage. I have known this one fact my whole life. My father would give much to achieve worldwide peace, even me."

"Well you know your father best I suppose."

"Yes I do.

"An arranged marriage…"

"To the fire nation no doubt.."

"Well I can see your mind is set." 

"It is…I will do anything to protect my people."

"I just hope you're not too disappointed."

"Of course not…I…mean…It will be hard…but…"

"He snores you know…"

"Who?"

"Sokka. I hope you're not too disappointed that you have to marry Sokka."

"What?"

"They came to an understanding this morning shortly after the fire nation arrival. Your engagement will be announced this evening, act surprised, ok?"

"Katara? But how?" 

"I was there in the meeting. Your father would never let you live in the fire nation. You are too precious to him, Yue." Katara states like it is common knowledge before Yue flings herself into her friend's arms crying. Katara holds her stroking her hair while the princess weeps.

Katara agrees not to perform and yue asks to see a bit of it now. So Katara shows her. Zuko cannot hear anything said as he hides on top of a surrounding building watching the pair. Particularly Katara's performance. He is in awe for the first time over anyone's bending besides his own or his sister's. He finds that he respects this girl for her obvious dedication and hard work to master her gift. He hears the boys coming and decides he should go.

Katara tells aang that she has decided not to perform and he is upset very disappointed, but he some what keeps it to himself. The ceremony starts and Katara sits next to Yue, Zuko is on her other side and se is next to her father. On the opposite side of the king is Lu ten. The performers start and they are to the part that she is supposed to come out but it is just aang that emerges and then she is flung out of her chair and in the middle of the floor being held by aang. "I told you I was not performing, Avatar." She growls at him.

"It wasn't me. But since I have you here care to dance?" He tells her motioning over his shoulder to the balcony where paku stands with his other students banging on a drum. He nods at her and even from this distance she can see the small smirk on his lips. This is the first time she thinks perhaps he has been greatly influenced by herself and the avatar.

This is all the persuasion she needs as Aang wraps an arm around her waist and takes her hand in his. Together they match the tempo the drums beat for beat and they display their water bending skills. At one point Katara freezes ice to the bottom of their boots so they can glide across the ice in a graceful dance. Their acrobatic skills are tested and all who sit watching are in awe of their talent, well all but one.

There are a pair of golden eyes that can't seem to tear his gaze from the performance. Zuko has never seen anyone move the way these two are, as if they were one. Its breath taking beautiful and seems incredibly intimate. His fingers are gripping the table and he doesn't realize until Yue puts her hand on top of his that he has left giant holes in the wood.

"Are you not enjoying the entertainment?" She asks removing her hand from his. The look of utter disgust on his face makes her fearful of Katara's choice to perform.

"I find your entertainment completely inappropriate." Zuko growls.

Yue looks confused back out at her friends then back to the fire nation prince, she clearly does not see what he means. "Do you not dance in the fire nation?" she asks trying to understand Zuko's assessment.

"No." Is all he says his glare still fixated on the performance.

Yue has no response for this so she too turns her attentions back to her dancing friends.

Aang's hands are on Katara's waist and her hands are on top of his they are sliding backwards when Aang picks Katara up and throws her in the air. She spins three times landing gracefully her arms spread as she calls forth a hill of ice meeting her halfway between air and ground, she slides down and around the back of the audience around behind the royal table, Zuko is tempted to reach out and touch her again, before checking himself, he hides his clinched fists under the table ashamed that he cannot stop staring at the little water bending girl. Yet he is not the only one in awe- all eyes are on her as she collapse the ice as quickly as she builds it coming down to finally meet the ground. She performs another spin on one foot and even from Yue's seat the northern water tribe princess can see the glare Katara gives the Avatar whom simply smiles and shrugs before the drums come to their final note the performers meeting once more ending as gracefully as they had begun. Everyone is clapping having clearly enjoyed their hard work. Master Pakku's students have put in to prepare for Yue's birthday. '

Chief Anrook stands giving a beautiful speech in tribute of Yue's birthday then welcomes everyone. Then once again the music starts and Katara is standing in front of her friend with an out stretched hand. "Dance with me, your worshipness?" The playful smile on her lips and the eyebrow raised makes Yue giggle, "Now that I'm sixteen I'm not supposed to put myself on display." Yue answers blushing at the whole ridiculous custom.

Katara puts a finger up to her lips, "shhhh. Who said anything about displaying well anything? Not me. I won't tell, you won't tell, well he might tell." Katara states pointing over her shoulder to Aang who waves enthusiastically. Again Yue giggles.

"It is fine daughter, go enjoy your party," Chief Anrook permits with a wink.

Zuko doesn't know what to say, he is completely offending by the water bender's complete lack of respect for the culture she was born in. Yet he cannot stop staring at her. When she came over and sat on the edge of the table he thought he would melt his chair from pure shock. Her attitude and manors were completely lacking. She was unlike any princess he had ever meant, for all her station and birth she acted no better than a peasant.

He watched Yue practically leap from her chair and be pulled onto the dance floor by the little water bender. The girl bends over giving Zuko a view to scowl at while she freezes ice to Yue's boots. Then they are holding hands standing as the girl slid backwards pulling Yue along helping the Northern water tribe princess keep balance. The whole interchange was ridiculous. Katara was an awful influence and right then and there Zuko decided she would never be permitted to enter the fire nation palace. Yue would be a respectable Fire Lady and not allowed to have such colorful friends.

Yue was having the time of her life. Katara was a great teacher and in no time Yue had the hang of what Katara and Aang called skating. She wondered why none of her ancestors had thought of this but then she realized not one of them had as much creativity in their whole blood line as the Southern Water tribe princess had in one strand of hair. Katara was teaching her how to turn, and Yue was having a hard time paying attention, her thoughts linger on Sokka and where he could possibly be she hadn't seen him since the feast began and every moment since she found out that their marriage would be announced tonight she had spent worrying how the fire nation would react.

"Yue! Shift your hips." Katara instructed pulling Yue out of her worries. Yue did just that turning around on her own and running into something very solid.

"Ooops. Sorry." She apologized looking up into her beloved's face. Sokka was there holding her smiling down on her, she couldn't even remember what she had been so worried about moments ago as he took her hand in his, "do you mind if I take over this lesson, Katara?" He asked for the sake of being polite in front of Yue. Katara's knowing smile stretched across her face as she skated backwards to give the two some alone time.

She found Aang entertaining the children with animal ice sculptures and with just fluid motion on her hand she made the Koi- elephant squirt water all over her dearest friend.

The kids all laughed making the game more fun and the look on the Avatar's face priceless. "That's for using Air bending in front of the fire nation." She told him when he turned around realizing she was there. "No one noticed except you and Sokka, everyone else just thought I was really strong, or that you're really small." He said while he took fake measurements with his hands then compared his results to his own stature. "Yep must be that I am super strong." He stated as he proudly showed her his scrawny arms.

"Oh of course that's what it must be, my big strong man. " Katara said in a gooey voice before switching to a very matter of fact one when Aang's eyes glossed over. "Will you dance with me Sokka stole my dance partner."

"Yes! That's why you found me as a boy-cicle, so I can be forever your indebted dance partner. And you can be my penguin sledding Sensei." He told her pulling her back on to the dance floor. That was when they heard the arguing.

The voices came from a small area off to the side of the dance floor it was private but the raised voices ensured it wouldn't remain that way long.

"You don't dance with one man when you are promised to another." A deep and strongly familiar voice said. Katara's feet lead her over to find a very angry fire prince shaking a very scared Yue.

"Let her go." Katara stated her tone had a dangerous edge to it.

The Prince turned around his eyes clashing against hers. "Keep walking, this doesn't concern you." He growls, his eyes narrow in on her.

"I told you to let her go. Now I suggest you listen to me before you start a war that you can't possibly finish. Particularly in the situation you're currently in." She calmly states.

Zuko looks at her like she is a bug on his shoe, "And what position in that?"

"Two fire nation Princes all alone in the middle of The Northern Water Tribes, one of which is man-handling their only princess. Please tell me how that could possibly end well for you and your cousin." Katara is the voice of reason and Aang is her right hand man ready to act if need be. But the Prince lets go of Yue and Katara wraps her arms around her friend looking at the prince like he was a piece of gutter scum before leading her friend back the party, Aang hover protectively over the water nation princesses.

Zuko is left alone in his private little nook, his fingers gripping his hair hard as he tries to explain to himself what just happened. Lu ten would chalk it up to jealousy, but Zuko didn't think it was as straight forward as that. What did he care if Yue danced with her Sokka it had actually been sweet to witness, to watched as they clumsily tried the ice on their feet dance, neither of them as graceful as the couple before them. That was when he noticed they were missing from the dance floor, the water bender and her friend. He had gotten up from his seat not even realizing it as he scanned the crowd for them, that was when he saw them playing with the children making ice animals and laughing.

Yue touched his shoulder and he just snapped. Grabbing hold of her and almost starting a war over what? He still could not explain what was happening inside him. He took a few minutes to focus on his breathing just as his uncle had taught him to get his anger under control then calmly he walked back to the royal table where Lu Ten sat in conversation with Chief Anrook.

"Ah there he is." Lu Ten shouted. Zuko's heart burning in his throat as his face pales in fright, did they tell on him? "Zuko come here, Chief Anrook has expressed the wish to see some fire nation dances."

"Then you can show him. I don't dance." Zuko sounded rude, he realized this after the words were said. Not to mention Lu Ten glares at him.

"I am no dancer, cousin. Perhaps you can teach the Princess." Lu Ten suggested and Zuko understood his cousin's game. Having just scared Yue there could be no harm in trying to calm the waves.

"If you wish I would be happy to dance with Princess Yue." Zuko concedes.

"My daughter has requested to sit a few out. She is not feeling well at the moment, but I do have an idea… Katara!" Chief Anrook calls the water bender's name before Zuko can react and suddenly she is standing there beside the king his arm around her shoulder.

"I don't know if you two have meant Chief Hakkoda's charming daughter, Princess Katara of the our sister tribe in the South. She performed in honor of my own daughter this evening, they are very close the two of them, like sisters. Katara is well traveled and she perhaps knows a few fire nation dances of her own, she has spent some time in the colonies and BA sing se."

Zuko is watching her as she smiles sweetly at the king and Lu Ten.

Lu Ten looks at her like he has seen a ghost, "How is your leg, your highness?" She asked him as he gawks at her in recognition. His mouth opens then closes like a koi before he finally answers. "Healing nicely." He states but there is more there in his unspoken words.

"I am happy to hear that. You must be more careful around the yuenagi -next time you may not be so lucky."

"I will keep that in mind next time I visit Kioshi" He tells her with a smile that does not reach his eyes.

"You two know each other?" The king asks looking enthralled by the possibility.

"We ran into one another over territory dispute on a small Earth Kingdom island." Lu Ten stated off handedly.

"Fascinating, Great things this kid will accomplish make no doubt of that." The king boosted over the girl as he took another drink form his goblet.

"I have no doubt of that." Lu Ten agreed.

Zuko was not there the day Lu Ten tried to take over Kioshi Island, but he did remember a water bender in his cousin's retellings. Lu Ten however had left out the notorious water bending master that single handily defeated him was a child.

"Would you dance with my cousin, Prince Zuko?" Lu Ten asked as politely as he could give the circumstances.

"I would be honored if Prince Zuko would dance the Graceful Flame with me." She states and suddenly she is all poise and manners and Zuko fells a bit of fear when she offers to dance with him.

The Graceful Flame in a very slow and close dance. Zuko suddenly has no desire to touch the girl standing across from him. This little girl, he has a gut feeling is far more dangerous than Azula could ever be.

"I think the formal steps will serve us best," She is telling him as they take their stance.

The formal steps are far more complicated and Zuko hasn't performed them since his mother taught them to him nine years ago.

"Do you plan on leading too?" He snaps, his hand hovering inches from hers

"No, unless you don't know the steps." She states her blue eyes hold a challenge while her lips held a smile.

"I didn't mean to hurt her." he blurts out. It was the closest thing to an apology she was going to get.

They wait while a beat picks up, Zuko is keeping count in his head as they silently perform the first sequence of steps. Circling right hands a breath a part, the foot work is simple enough.

"But you did." She tells him. Her tone accusingly as they circle again now both hands palm to palm. "Didn't mean to, doesn't count for anything, your highness. Your temper is out of control you are a threat to everyone until you learn to manage it." She tells him matter of fact- it is advice that he has heard too often in his life.

"You sound like a fat old man" He bites out whishing he was anywhere but in the Water tribe dancing with this girl.

She smiles widens reaching her eyes and she is so very pretty in that moment Zuko finds he hates this girl more than he has any right to. "Do you have one particularly in mind or should I just use my imagination to complete the insult?" She asks. He hopes she is not expecting an answer because she is not getting one. He has a feeling she already knows far more about him than he does her and decides to remedy this.

"Where did you learn to dance the Graceful Flame?" His watching her closely. Her smile softens as she looks down and a small blush rises to her cheeks. He suddenly doesn't want to know the answer to his question.

"A fat old man, taught me when we shared his home for a time." Her voice is kind as she remembers her teacher fondly.

He glares at her. He has had enough talk of fat old men for an evening. So he decides on a safer line of questioning.

"You have traveled much?" He asks his eyes wondering the curves of her face as he tries to memorize it.

"Yes I have." She answers doing a full turn around him, then placing a hand on his chest over his heart. He hopes she cannot feel how fast it is beating.

"Why?" He asks when she is once more facing him.

"I like the adventure." She tells him with a smile, and he knows there is more to her travels than seeking thrills- she doesn't come across as an adventure.

"It seems odd. That a girl your age would travel alone. Yue says your father rarely accompanies you." He is digging for more than a single sentence answer. He swallows hard his hands move from his sides to rest on her hips as they perform the next string of steps. 

"I'm hardly alone, I have Sokka, Aang and another friend that tags along. My father has more pressing concerns like rebuilding our tribe, from the ashes." She looks him right in the eye when she says this and he finds that he suddenly feels inferior to her, a feeling he has only ever felt in his sister's shadow. This water bender looks at him without fear and in the eye her attentions not once turning to the scar on his face. This somehow makes him hate her more.

"Why do you travel so much then, why not stay home to help your father?" He ask searching for a weakness, she has to have one- no one is as fearless as she lets on.

"By traveling I am helping my father. How else would we be able to rebuild without alliances?" She asks like he is a simpleton.

"Are you building an army against my Uncle?" He is shocked and disappointed how far off he has misjudged this girl.

"No. Why would I do something stupid like that?" She is too close now her arms wrapped around his neck he can feel her breath on his lips and suddenly he wonders if he kissed her would the sudden pain in his chest let up. "Your uncle is one of our allies. Earth King Iroh, helped free Ba sing se from the corrupt. He has just began to rebuild it. He has a long road ahead, I do not fear the direction of the Earth Kingdom- it's the future of the fire nation that concerns us all." She tells him., he can't seem to catch his breath.

"I am the fire nation's future." The force behind his statement is lost when her hand returns to his chest her palm once more over his heart.

"I know. And you are filled with a rage you have no idea how to control, so tell me again how that should comfort me." She asks, he is having a hard time forming an answer, her blue eyes and soft touch is distracting. He finds he is concentrating more than he ever has to before just to be mindful of his own actions.

"I am not my grandfather." his words are an oath, a promise.

"I look forward to you proving that. You can start by apologizing to Yue and pulling your name off the list for her would be suitors." Katara tells him, her own heart hammering in her throat. She prays he cannot tell how nervous she is as she wades into this dangerous conversation.

"I need this alliance. I will marry if it is the only way to achieve peace." His tone is gentle as he angles his head his lips hot on her ear.

"I am offering you another way, Prince Zuko. Think about it. I would give you a speech about marrying for love and not duty, but something tells me, you wouldn't understand my words if I tried." She tells him. He leans back and is reminded of a similar conversation from this morning. Suddenly he wonders if she is going to offer to take Princess Yue's place as his bride.

"Still you're talking." He states now amused. He was beginning to think she was a different breed, now he could see it, she was exactly like the rest of them. Manipulative.

"Yes, because I am willing to offer you the one thing you want most in this world in exchange for my friend's happiness." She is bargaining with fire nation royalty. He is shocked because he realizes she has no intention of offering herself in exchanged, He finds himself somehow disappointed.

"And how could you possibly know what I what most." He can't help but ask.

"I've seen you look at your reflection. Didn't take me long to read what was written on your face." She has ventured to a place no one else would dare to go with him and he is offend.

But then the look on her face is too serious for her to have meant insult. Those eyes too innocent to stay mad at.

"No one can restore that…I was told it wasn't possible." He growls.

"Well then I'm a little no one, from nowhere offering you world peace at a price you can afford. Deal can't get much better than that." She tells him and suddenly he takes it all back. This girl is like no other, she is insane.

"Does the chief know what you're attempting?" He asks wondering if she was doing this solo or she had the support of her tribe.

"Yes. I am to offer you this alternate deal, so that when Yue's betrothal to my brother is announced, things don't get too hot." She tells him.

"Why you. Why isn't the king offering this to me?" He has a feeling the answer to his question has more to do with her pretty eyes than her healing abilities.

"Because your cousin made is clear a marriage was what was expected. But this is not a negotiation between the Water nations and the Earth kingdom. This is an issue between my people and the fire nation, you are the one we need to make peace with. A marriage to a woman you do not love would solve nothing. An unhappy marriage to a woman you do not like could mean more pain for my people and a war with new allies that you would have no hope to heal from. We want peace, not another reason to despise you. I am the only one who can offer you what you really want."

"How do I know you're telling the truth? That you could heal, me?" He asks lost in hope and in awe of the child before him.

"You don't but I can, out of the two of us I would believe me. You can't even tell yourself the truth. I on the other hand, if anything, am a little optimistic but not a liar. A turning of the moon is all I need to make good on my end. It has to be done when the moon is full at its highest, so you have some time to consider, my deal. A treaty is to be signed before I work, I don't trust you." She tells him, the music is on its last bar.

"You will." He bows.

"A girl can dream." She tells him curtsying, before turning to walk away. He grabs her arm before thinking better of it. Pulls her close, his nose is on her cheek and lips on her ear.

"If you fail, and it's not possible, I will hold _you _responsible." He warns her.

She pulls back looking him in the eyes once more the strength he sees there is breathtaking, "So will my nation. And I will accept the consequences." She promises, the weight of her statement heavy in those blue eyes. Slowly his fingers uncurl from her arm as he frees her.

"Thank you for the dance, Prince Zuko." She says before walking away. This time he lets her. Suddenly torn between the hope of her to succeed in her promise and want of her failure.


	2. Chapter 2

Zuko always rose with the sun. He was practicing the fire bending sequence his uncle had taught him before Lu Ten and he had left for the Northern Water Tribe.

He hadn't realized he had an audience until he turned around and grabbed his water skin. He took a swig and threw his shirt over a shoulder before she even announce herself.

"I often wished I was born a bender. You are very talented." Princess Yue states leaning against a nearby wall. Her hair is covered by a heavy purple scarf decorated in little shells. She's fully dressed but looks as if she has not gotten much sleep.

He nods to acknowledge the complement. "Congratulations. You get your Sokka." He states, it's the closest thing to wishing her well he can manage because he is relived that he does not have to marry her.

She smiles. "Thank you. I hope, however this will not prevent you from fulfilling the goal you came here to accomplish. There can still be peace."

He takes another drink, swishing the water around in his mouth before swallowing. How in this frozen waste land was he still able to work up a sweat?

"You have been worried of how I would react." He acknowledges, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his shirt. All his long black hair is up in its knot top apart from a few strands having come undone from his work out. "I never wanted to marry you." He tells her. "So long as your little water bending friend delivers, you will get your peace treaty. She can be very persuasive. Not that I needed much persuading." He smirked at her gaping mouth. Yue is clearly shocked. Did she really not know of the deal that was struck.

"Katara?" The name was a question and prayer. Yue's hand over her heart, fear in her eyes.

"Yes. She offered to make me whole." He tells her not wanting a hysterical princess on his hands.

"Make you whole? What does that even mean?" she asked clearly upset.

"She's going to heal my face." He spells out for her with a condescending tone.

"Why?"

"Because I have a huge hand print taking up most of it! I've seen you stare at it in disgust now all the sudden it's invisible? The water bender wanted to save you from marrying a monster, and in the process saved me from a life with _you_." He yells, insulting her and not fully understanding why.

Yue's eyes widen her mouth opens before closing without a word. She is watching him, as he stands under her scrutiny, wishing he had better control of his temper.

"You were like this last night, angry at me for nothing. I thought maybe it was pride or that you just wanted everyone to be as unhappy as you are, but it's something else. Its defensive, like an internal turmoil your fighting." Yue observes. Silence stretches between them, Zuko puts his shirt back on for the purpose of something to do.

Finally Yue speaks, her voice a whisper. "If anyone can heal you it would be Katara."

"You were right." He tells her causing her to blush, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

"About what." She shyly asks.

"The water bender changing the very fabric of this world. I have heard the Avatar has returned. Is she the Avatar?" He asks having thought on this all night. He is watching as Yue's eyes widens with shock and she is violently shaking her head.

"No." She states. "Katara is not the Avatar."

"I just assumed. It seemed like the logical conclusion with your tribe going against custom to train her and with the kind of power it must take to complete what she is offering, not to mention how much she travels and with the way you talk of her, I just thought maybe…" Zuko is now blushing clearly embarrassed he had made such an outlandish conclusion.

"Katara carries hope wherever she goes. She does not need divine intervention to change the world. She is persuasive enough on her own." Yue points out. After all Zuko would know first hand on how persuasive the little water bender could be. "Just don't go falling in love with her, she's taken." Yue says this as a joke, but Zuko feels a sharp pain in his chest and his cheeks again burn. He bows his head and turns from Yue while trying to calm his emotions.

"Oh. No!" Yue coos looking pitifully at him . "You have made the biggest mistake of your life."

"I don't make mistakes." he growls feeling his body regulate, he turns to face her.

"Falling in love with a woman you can't have seems like a pretty significant mistake."

He laughs a dark condescending chuckle, "Trust me I don't love you." he is attempting to distract her. The ploy does not work.

"I know." She's now looking at him like a lost bullpup. "You love Katara."

Now he laughs a real laugh, like the ones only his mother could ever pull out of him. "I think this climate has froze your brain causing you to hallucinate. We have already had this discussion, I don't love anything but my swords. And women, as far as I'm concerned are interchangeable. Good bye Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribes." He stated walking away, his head held high. Refusing to acknowledge the words she screams at his retreating back.

His room is two corridors away and he is able to push the conversation to the back of his mind not wanting to think about a certain set of blue eyes.

As he turns the corner he unbinds his hair and running his fingers through it before tying it back up in place, while doing this he happens to look out the window, and there in the court yard is a large furry beast with brown markings and a large leather saddle strapped on it's back. He pauses because he has never seen anything like it before.

Then he hears the girl's laughter, and instinctively he leans over the railing his eyes immediately finding her.

She is dressed heavily in traveling clothes, a bag strapped to her back and a water skin hung from her hip. The brother was teasing her with something holding it up and over her head as she tries to climb him to get it. It is strange to watch something so juvenile, both smiling like simpletons as they play. Finally the brother, Sokka, concedes handing it to the little water bender before patting her on the head and climbing on top of the white furry animal then settling himself in the giant saddle. The water bending girl is putting her shoe on, that apparently was what her brother had been teasing her with. Zuko watches as she hugs her dad, Chief Arook and Master Pakku before she joins her brother on top the beast. Only then did he realize they are leaving.

There is no time for thought, his body jerking into action. He runs to his quarters grabbing his duo swords slinging them over his back, before running as fast as he can back to the same spot on the balcony, only to find they are gone.

He jumps, not bothering to think beyond that, catching up with them before they leave becomes priority. He grabs a hold of a nearby tapestry swinging himself down to the courtyard. He sprints over to the North and South Water Tribe chiefs who are in conversation.

"Where is she? Where did they go?" Zuko screams, grabbing on to Chief Arook 's shoulder in desperation.

"Who, Prince Zuko?" Chief Arook asks, confused by the young man's urgency.

"The girl! She made me a promise!" He is frantic, his mind going to the worst case scenario.

"Katara has business in the Earth kingdom. She will return before the full moon, My daughter will be back to uphold her bargain with you.." Chief Hakko states with a raised eye brow. It is clear these men think he has lost all sanity.

Zuko does not bother setting them straight, catching up with the little water bender and her friends before they are out of his reach is all that matters.

Zuko races to the outer wall and up a flight of stairs. His standing on the rampart when he spots them in the water they have just left through the main gate and there is only one way for him to reach them.

"Zuko! What are you doing?" Lu Ten yells somewhere behind him but there is simply no time to respond. If he doesn't jump now he will loose her. He leaps off the wall, head start run and all. He judged his distance well as seconds later he makes contact with the soft saddle of the furry beast. The beast yells in protest. Zuko lands on his feet with a tuck and roll, and is then crouched, looking up at three very perplexed faces.

"Can we help you?" Sokka asks, his sword is drawn and posed to strike. The little water bending girl has been shoved behind her brother, the third child the one with dark hair and a blue bandanna stands on the beast's head a staff in hand and a little white animal perched on his shoulder as he waits for the fire nation prince to explain his actions.

"She is not going anywhere without me." Zuko finally speaks and his words sound more possessive than he means for them to.

Both young men get a pinch expression as they stare down the fire nation prince.

"Uhm, I can protect my sister just fine. Even against fire nation idiots." Sokka boasts.

"Your one to talk." Katara grumbles. Shoving past her brother. "Look Prince Zuko, we promised a friend we would go pick her up before we head to the Foggy Swap. We have business with the natives there, then we will return. Should only take us a week max. If you want we can have Appa drop you off back inside the capital, or you can go as far as Ba Singe Se with us but we certainly don't have time to take you back to the fire nation."

"I go wherever you go!" His voice has taken on a single tone: loud. "Your not leaving without me." He states calmer but leaves no room for argument

Katara sighs. Sokka knows that look. They just got another member to their group.

"You didn't bring anything." Sokka states gesturing with his hands to emphasis Zuko's lack of baggage.

"I have what I need to travel. No need to turn around that will just slow us down right? It's fine." He tells them watching as Sokka re-sheath his sword and The boy, Aang lowers his staff. Zuko supposes that's a start.

"He can get supplies in Ba Sing Se." Katara points out.

Sokka shrugs sitting back down; he knows this is ultimately up to Aang and Katara.

"Aang?" she beseeches, giving her best friend chipmunk-koala eyes.

"If you think it's a good idea, Katara." The boy says to the Water bender with true admiration.

"You have to pull your own weight. We work together to make camp." Katara tells Zuko.

"Warm fires, fresh meat and an extra night watch shift." He tells her setting back against the saddle. Understanding that they just agreed to take him with them.

"Fresh meat, I like him already." Sokka exclaims.

"Yesterday he was trying to steal the hand of the woman you love." Aang shot back settling himself back on top of Appa's head.

"That was yesterday, today he is offering meat, who am I to hold a grudge." Sokka states pulling out a stone to sharpen his boomerang. Katara is smiling at her brother as she adjusts a bag and lays her head down on top of it.

"Glade that's settled." She says laying back her, eyes on the sky as the beast swims on. Its quiet for a good while. And Zuko realizes that Katara has fallen asleep. They are a morning away from the Northern Water Tribe, and the beast underneath suddenly growls, as Aang states a simple, "yip yip." then they are air bound and Zuko is in awe, looking over the edge of the saddle. They were up so high, he had never seen anything like it before.

"This is amazing. What is this thing?"

"Appa, A flying bison. Last of his kind. Your ancestors hunted them to extinction, just like they did the air benders and tried to do to the water benders." Sokka told him in an un-judging voice. "And that is, Momo." He motions to the little white animal on Aang's shoulder. It blinks twice at Zuko before climbing off Aang and scurrying over to where Katara sleeps, curling up in her arms.

"How long will it take for us to get to Ba Sing Se?" Zuko asks, choosing to ignore Sokka's comment about his ancestors and instead watch Momo get comfortable with the sleeping girl.

"Two, three days if we stop only at night." Sokka tells him unwrapping a furry blue blanket and laying it over Katara.

"Is she not sleeping well?" Zuko asked, genuinely concerned.

"Not at night, the moon has been calling to her. She has a difficult task ahead of her." Sokka states sounding more serious than Zuko has yet to hear from him.

"Healing me?" Did he sound as worried as he suddenly felt.

"No, you are not the worst of what my sister faces. A full moon and some magic water, you'll be good as new, and out of our life. There are still colonies that need guidance. Katara has the words and heart that people need in times like this. She fills them with dreams of a brighter tomorrow. But the moon spirit wants something from her that is why we are going to the Foggy Swap so she can visit the ancient banyan-grove tree."

"A tree?" Zuko asks clearly skeptical.

"It's the only place we can think that Katara might be able to connect with the spirit world." Sokka explains.

"I'm told you all travel a lot. Why is that?" Zuko decides that Sokka is easer to question than his sister.

Sokka shoots a nervous look over to Aang who is too busy playing a game with a water whip to notice. "My sister has this crazy idea that we can make a difference one fishing village at a time."

"And do you? Make a difference." Zuko inquires.

"Yes." Sokka whispers.

"Why are you whispering?"

"Because if they ever heard me admit to it, every vacation from hence forth with be to some little oppressed city that needs saving." Sokka seemed to shudder at the thought. "And I happen to like my vacations as vacations, you know how they are suppose to be, relaxing."

"Okay. So the kid? Is he a cousin?" Zuko pointed to the dark haired bandana wearing member of the group.

"He is inspirational in his own way. Katara fished him out of the ice near our village two years ago and I've been stuck with him every since."

"So they inspire and give hope, where do you fit in?" Zuko asks, starting to get a picture of exactly what was happening not only in his country but all over the world. If what this boy was telling him was true, then he had these children to thank for the prosperity of his nation.

"Eh, Toph and I are crowd control." Sokka states with a manly shoulder shrug.

"Who is Toph?"

"She's an earth bender. She hates ice, can't seen on it." Sokka explained.

Zuko didn't even want to question the strangeness of that statement. "She is in Ba Sing Se right now?" he asked.

"Yep, keeping good old Iroh company."

"Wait, what? You know my uncle?" Zuko is shocked by this information.

"Ya, See him every month or so. We are kind of like ambassadors to the world, you know. It started out just us three, then Toph joined and while we were visiting Omashu the king there asked for us to help negotiate peace with Ba Sing Se. When we arrived in Ba Sing Se and announced our business Iroh threw Aang and me in jail."

"What happened to your sister?" Zuko asked, angry from Sokka's story as he imagined Katara in on of his uncle's prisons, painfully dehydrated.

"Iroh was teaching her to dance in a ballroom with a tray of assorted teas on a table set for five. He had been expecting us to escape and lectured us on punctuality because his tea was cold. Toph was laughing like a loon munching away on pastries. And Katara was having the time of her life dressed up in Eath Kingdom finery while being doted on by Iroh. I really hope he does not try to rope me into another game of pi sho, I beats him every time and the poor guy can't seem to let it go." Sokka finished with a shrug.

"Impossible." Zuko scoffs, shock overshadowing his original angry.

"No, quite probable you've played him, right?" Sokka asks motioning with his hands.

Zuko can only nod.

"His tells are so obvious. I mean he takes a sip of tea every time his about to play a fire tile, or the way he gazes lovingly at the white lotus when he draws it. Or the way his eyes glaze over when he thinks he has one up you. I'm I right?" Sokka asks not really expecting an answer which is good since he doesn't get one.

Instead Zuko sits, eyeing the young man before him. No way this loud, obnoxious youth could beat the dragon of the west at games of strategy. "No, impossible." Zuko states again. Sokka shrugs again before moving on to the next topic.

Katara wakes in time to hear her brother's opinion on how best to dry meat for storage, a one side conversation her brother has been carrying on quite nicely by himself. She chimes in only to end her brother's rant while pulling out portions of dried berries, hard cheese, and soft bread for lunch. Aang is suddenly sitting next to Katara as Sokka makes his grumbling way up to Appa's head.

Zuko is amazed how everything gets completed without a word. They eat in silence and Zuko is happy for it. He had began to fear that he was going to be stuck with the buffoon brother for most of the journey. Then the meal is over and Aang is cleaning up. He packs away the containers and moves their belongings to the back of the saddle.

"You might want to move!" Sokka warns the Fire nation prince.

Zuko looked up, in question only to be face to face with a giant ball of water.

"You will always get wet!" Sokka laughs.

Zuko scoots to edge of the saddle closest to Appa's head and very still watches the two benders manipulate the ball of water back and forth to each other. Then they slit it up into three and juggled them back and forth. By mid afternoon Aang is standing on the back of the saddle while Katara flings small disks of ice at him. He hit everyone, the boy has incredible balance.

"Your turn." Aang says. And they traded spots. Zuko's heart sinks to his stomach.

"This doesn't seem very safe." Zuko states clearly concerned. He starts to stand, his arms stretched out to balance as he motions for Katara to sit back down.

They all three laughed at him.

"Ok" Sokka's sarcastic tone was not deaf to Zuko. For an over protective brother he sure did let his sister do some stupid things.

"She could fall!" Zuko shouts, not understanding why no one else seemed bothered by Katara participation in this form of training.

"Aang could have fallen. You didn't seem very concerned then." Katara pointed out hands on hip facing the fire nation prince down. Obviously not impressed with his concern for her safety.

Sokka comes to the newest addition's rescue. "Zuko, friend, Don't go there. Trust me. Anything you say at this point will just upset her. Just sit down and enjoy the show." Sokka's words seemed wise no matter how wrong they feel.

"If you fall…" The threat trailed off incomplete, as Zuko realizes there is nothing he can say to keep her from training, on the back on a flying animal. A past time she no doubt takes part in quite often.

So why was that not comforting to him.

Zuko holds his breath until he is reminded how incredibly graceful she was just last night at Yue's birthday gliding across the ice floor. He remembers her bending and lets out a slow, steady, comforting breath.

They go through two separate training sequences before Zuko realizes she is doing a different set then what the boy had done. Instead of just breaking the first ice disk she is catching them then changing them into something she can use to destroy the remaining disks with.

When that brakes she catches another and manipulates it into something she can use as a shield turning each offence move of Aang's into a larger set of defensive moves for herself. It was fascination to watch. Zuko having never seen a water bender fight before. Everything he had witnessed of water tribes and their bending was to heal or create, not to destroy. And suddenly Zuko realizes that he understands the boy and little water bending girl's relationship. She was the master; the boy her pupil.

Shortly there after, the training morphs into a lesson.

"Keep you arms loose, cradle it in as you catch it. Then use your hands as you follow through to make the shield. Here walk through the steps with me." Katara was a patient teacher and it seemed Zuko's presence did not disturb this lesson. She had the boy walk through the step six times, he did not complain once as she corrected his stance, and his fluency. They worked the rest of the day and by the time they landed Aang had the first sequence down. Tomorrow they would go over lessons by the stream, it was already implied that Zuko and Sokka would not be welcomed to those.

Sokka did not seem to care, as he unloaded Appa. Aang went to gather fire wood and Katara to fill their water skins. Zuko took that opportunity to go hunt. He came back with three rabbits, Katara had told him that Aang was a vegetarian so he found some wild lettuce near by, the boy could have a salad. The camp was set up a fire pit and two sleeping pallets.

Zuko lit the fire as Sokka took up a rabbit and started to skin it. Katara and Aang had vanished off into the woods again.

"Where did they go?" Zuko asked concerned for their safety.

"I told them they could do some more bending, get it out of the way so we can get an early start. If you have practicing you want to do, I'll finish dinner. Its my night."

"For what?"

"To cook. I like it best when it's Katara's night but we each have to take a turn. I get Wednesdays. Aang is Saturday. And Katara is the rest of the week."

"That hardly seems like taking turns."

"If you say that again after dinner, we'll talk"

"I'll cook the rabbits. I train in the morning." Zuko stated. "Where am I going to sleep?"

"Oh, you get Katara's pallet. Her and I can share. Grammy made mine extra big for her growing boy. Besides, like I said before, Katara doesn't sleep most nights."

"What about Aang?"

Sokka shrugged. "He sleeps on Appa go figure."

The best part of dinner was the rabbits that Zuko cooked himself. Sokka was right he was a lousy cook. The other two ate without complaint, Aang cleaned up, Sokka put out the fire and the water bender took first watch. Zuko settled on top of the sleeping bag offered, it was plush, and warm. The air around them still held a chill, but being able to regulate his own body temperature he had no need for the comforts of crawling in side the sleeping bag. The water benders sent surrounded him, his eyes grew heavy as his body relaxed, his mind wondering to the night they danced together and how her body had felt pressed against his. He was asleep in seconds.

He was shaken awake. A small face with wide eyes, dark hair and a goofy grin hovering in his line of vision. "Katara said to wake you an hour before sunrise, so that you could take over the last part of the watch. You don't mind, do you?" Aang asked looking nervous.

Zuko shook his head, "No, very thoughtful. Go sleep." He grumbled, knowing he would be up in an hour any ways, seems the little water bender had timed everything perfectly.

He practiced his fire bending sequence as the sun rose. Then found breakfast and woke the others.

Aang was curled up on Appa's giant paw snoring loudly, with his arms around his pet lemur, Momo. He looked so young, and Zuko suddenly wondered who this kid was and where his parents were. "Up." Zuko stated shaking the boy's shoulder. "Time to get going."

He then moved over to where the siblings slept, Sokka's arm around his sister protectively. This boggled Zuko's mind. Their relationship was a foreign specimen that was strange and disturbing to the fire nation prince. Siblings that actually cared about each other. He couldn't fathom holding Azula like that, holding her as she slept in attempt to keep her safe from her own nightmares. A sickening tremor went through him at the thought and he suddenly wanted to be sick.

Instead he calmed his mind working through a series of breathing exercises. He watched the pair in blissful slumber for a few more second and suddenly a clear image of himself holding the little water bender surfaced, along with the foreign desire to protect her against the evil that haunted her.

He kicked Sokka, a bit harder than he should had, successfully waking the pair. Sokka howling as he darted up rubbing his backside shooting Zuko heated glares. Zuko only smirked. He kind of enjoyed that.

"There are other ways to wake people up, your highness." Katara states standing and stretching before turning and walking into the woods.

"Zuko. Call me Zuko." He insists, following her.

She let out a heavy sigh. "Well, Zuko, I need to go relieve myself, so do you mind help the others pack up. I'll be back in a minute." She kindly asked. He turned back towards camp stopping when he heard the two boys talking as he approached, they were talking about him.

"I don't like him." Aang stated.

"What's to like, his fire nation royalty. Arrogant, violent, still Katara seems to trust him and you said he could come along." Sokka reasoned.

"I know. But I might have to change my mind I don't like the way he looks at her. His not even subtle about his staring." Aang sulks.

"Its only been a day. The promise she made him is the reason his here, the reason for his rude starring. His here to protect his investment. Make no doubt of that." Sokka, placed a reassuring hand on Aang's shoulder before turning his attention to packing up the camp.

"So you don't think his interested in her?" Aang asked sounding hopeful.

"In her, no. In what she will do for him, of course." Sokka states throwing the rolled bedding into the saddle. "A month. One month and the fire nation will sign a treaty for world peace. We only have to put up with him until then. Besides when we get to Ba Sing Se, Iroh will convince his nephew to stay with him. We will continue on to the swamp without the prince."

"I don't know, Sokka. He doesn't take his eyes off her. I doubt we will be going to foggy swap without him."

Sokka shrugged.

"Your not even a little upset about any of this?" Aang asks disbelieving.

"No. I get Yue. He gets his pretty face back. Everyone wins. Your jealousy over Katara, doesn't change the fact."

"I'm not jealous." Aang shouts.

Sokka gave him a knowing look. "You both have a lot on your plates. She will come around. But now is not the time to worry about it."

"Then when is! I love her and she loves everyone." Aang whines.

"That is who Katara is, a mother to everyone. Every since she could walk she was saving the strays, but only one of them got to make a home with her." Sokka stated pointedly.

"Right, me. I got to stay." Aang acknowledges.

"And we wouldn't have it any other way." Sokka replied pushing the younger boy towards the flying bison.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked from behind Zuko.

"They were having a moment it seemed rude to interrupt." Zuko stated processing everything he had over heard. The little boy was in love with her. He could feel the fire in his belly rise, in denial. Anger boiling his blood as he walked through his breathing cycle calming his fire.

He felt her brush past him, his eyes snapping open to watch her walk away, her braid swaying in tune with her steps, as she approached her family.

The brother that would do anything to protect her and the student that loved her more than the world. How could he possible compete with that.

They traveled all day. There was a pattern to things and Zuko found himself outside their world looking in. When Ba Sing Se rose along the horizon, Zuko was hopeful of a hot bath, a change of clothes and his uncle's company.

Not that he was regretting his rash actions, he looked over at Katara as she sat straight back re-braiding her hair, he already knew he would be following her to the Foggy Swamp he couldn't imagine letting her out of his sight for the next five days. He only hope that once he was healed, the pain in his chest will let up and the desire to have her near will disappear.

The are greeted by four Di Li, the elite Earth benders that guard Iroh. Zuko is immediately on guard, the Di Li have never greeted him on his visits.

"Iroh will be pleased you made it." one of the men states.

"Uncle shouldn't be expecting me. What is the meaning of this?" Zuko demands insulted by their presence.

"Your highness, forgive me, I was speaking to Master Sokka, Master Katara, and Ava…Aang." The Di Li hesitated with the warning shake of Sokka's head. "He will greet you in the council room."

Three of the Di Li stepped aside allowing Aang, Katara, and Sokka to walk pass. One of the three fell behind each guest hovering as a personal guard as they entered the Earth Kingdom Palace.

Zuko followed only to be stopped by the remaining agent. "Prince Zuko, you are not permitted to follow." The Di Li told him. Zuko huffed, fire already engulfing a fist.

"You will let me pass or you will suffer." The threat is lost when the Di Li takes his stance.

"I have my orders. You are welcome to your usual quarters or I can throw you in prison until your uncle is finished with his meeting. Your choice." The man is following orders.

The situation reminds Zuko too much of a war meeting he bullied his way into when his father had stolen the Fire Nation throne from Iroh. when his grandfather had unexpectedly died and Iroh had been a continent away conquering Ba Sing Se. The same war meeting he had chosen to turn traitor against his father and make a stand for his uncle against his father's plans. His father had burned off half his face for the traitorous decision. It is because of this memory that Zuko stands down, turning his back to the Di Li and walking into the Family quarters of his uncle's home.

Katara smiled up at Haru, her own personal Earth bending guard and good friend. Iroh insisted they each have a body guard while in the capital, Haru was always assigned to her. It was an arrangement that worked well for everyone, because Katara knew that Haru's loyalty are always first to her and then The Dragon Lord.

"I missed you." Haru whispers, so his counterparts do not over hear. "How long are you staying this time?"

"A day. Have you asked Lin on a date yet?" Katara asks catching up with an old friend.

"Yes. I took her to the Jasmine Rose, like you suggested." Haru tells her.

"Good. Is there an understanding of intentions?"

Haru blushes. "No, nothing so bold yet. I am taking her to the fountains on my next day off." He elaborates.

Katara sighs, "You need to tell her, Haru."

"I will."

Katara nods, they have stopped outside the council room enclosed wall. Aang stops showing a new air bending trick to his guard that he made up using leaves and sticks. Sokka has his guard laughing so hard the man is almost in tears.

The group puts on their solemn faces and knocks six times to announce themselves. The three Di Li perform a maneuver that forms an entrance.

"You made it. Come in." Iroh commands. The six file in and take their regular sets at the council table. Katara to Iroh's left, Toph is already on his right, currently using her manner, she nods to her friends as Aang and Sokka take their place on the opposite side of the table, their guards remain standing, hovering behind their charge.

When everyone is settled Iroh turns to Katara, "My dear, if you don't mind starting us off with a recount of how the fire nation preceding in the northern water tribe went." Iroh was in emperor mode. He was polite and formal. This was all for the appearance of the traditional members of the council.

"The marriage contract was none negotiable. Chief Anook was not open to the idea, as I had warned in past meetings but as a council you chose to ignore. If fact he was insulted by the very subject. It was by deferment of both the water tribe chiefs and the Avatar that I made a counter offer to the fire nation heir. One that I believe will benefit all members involved."

"What counter offer could possible entice Fire Nation prince Zuko away from virginal flesh?" A man asked peering down his hooked nose in offence.

"A different offering of flesh. I will ask you to refrain from any and all future disrespectful comments, particularly aimed at my people." Katara commands like a true leader.

"So you offered yourself." the man snidely states.

"In the Southern water tribe we have a long standing tradition to not, sale our women to the highest bidder. My sister offered up something the prince actually wants. If fact, he chose to accompany us here, if you would like a further explanation get it from him. But know that he has accepted our counter offer. Lu Ten has remained in the Northern Water Tribe to come up with a formal treaty that Prince Zuko will have to sign before our side of the barging is up held." Sokka practically growled at the disagreeable council member.

"Very interesting, Prince Sokka. So do I have the pleasure of wishing you congratulations on your engagement to Princess Yue?" The Dragon Lord asks.

"You do." Sokka puffs out his chest waiting for a rebuttal.

"I wish you happiness, my friend." Iroh bows his head in respect. The rest of the council out of polite conduct follow in suit.

"I owe my nephew much. He stood by my side when my own brother betrayed me. Prince Zuko will make a fine Fire Lord and my own son will inherit Ba Singe Se. Ruling two kingdoms with great distance between them, I have found is a feat of impossibility. It is for this reason and for my nephew's loyalty that each nation will have its own ruler. Lu Ten loves his cousin and sees the wisdom my decision. I trust my nephew with his reign and so I must trust his decisions as a ruler. There will be no questioning my nephew on this issue, by any council member, to do so will be words against me and deemed a traitor. We have the opportunity to help heal this world, and with the Avatar's help we will unite all the nations in world peace."

The council applauded. Aang and Katara frowned while Toph rolled her eyes and Sokka glared at the stupidity of old men. Iroh knew how to work his crowd. The council filed out in silence each one with a pensive expression still mulling over the out come of the meeting. Never mind the mission had been successful, because the end result was not to their design, the council looked at the children with weary eyes, their own comforts in power threatened by the Avatar and his friends very existence, particularly the Master Water Bender.

When all that remain are the trusted circle Toph kicks out her feet, the motion vibrating across the room, flinging Aang and Sokka from their seats. Iroh laughs throwing an arm around Katara. "I will go see my nephew now. After you have caught up, please come join us for tea in the east drawling room." Iroh requests excusing himself, his guard follows.

When the four are all alone apart from their own assigned Di Li, the blind girl begins her rampage, "You took long enough to come get me." Toph yells, as Aang and Sokka grone from their position on the floor.

"And you, Sugar Queen, making covert deals with the fire nation, behind Iroh's back." A dirty finger was pointed in Katara's face." Good Job!" Toph praised, the accusing finger turning into a thumbs up.

"I did what was necessary, Toph. The prince didn't want to marry anyone. It was written all over him. I simply provided another means for what everyone wants." Katara explained.

"Right…So when do I get to meet Sparky!"

"You haven't even meant the guy and you already nicknamed him?" Sokka asks, now on his feet checking himself for bodily injury.

"Yes, snoozles. Iroh talks about him all the time. I already feel like I know him. Big temper and big loyalties, Sparky." Toph shrugs, standing and stretching. "Come on, Sugar Queen introduce me to your latest project." and like that Katara is being dragged out of the chamber. Leaving the two boys and the guards to follow.


	3. Chapter 3

Clean and freshly changed, Zuko was led into the East Wing to meet with his uncle, by a servant, Joo Dee. Iroh promptly embraced his nephew. "You here is an unexpected gift. I hope your journey was not too difficult."

"No. Perhaps a bit more rustic than what I am accustom to, but the company was far more engaging." Zuko said taking a seat across from Iroh.

"I look forward to their visits." Iroh commented pouring tea for Zuko then himself.

"You have never mentioned them, or this mission of yours." Zuko states, giving a nod of thanks for the tea.

"You have had a rough year, Prince Zuko. With your father's death and the discontentment of your people, mention of these children did not seem important." Iroh explains.

"Something bugs me. I know they have traveled much; Sokka has mentioned that they are ambassadors to the world, what I don't understand is how they came by this mission of theirs."

"Their mission is that of the Avatar's. The rumors of his return are true." Iroh tells him.

"Why the secrecy? Have you meant him?"

"Some are threatened by his return. He has not completed his Avatar training and so he is still vulnerable. But make no mistake even without being a fully realized Avatar he is still a very powerful bender."

"I would like to meet him."

"You will when you have proven that you are not a threat to him."

"I don't understand, why would I be a threat?"

"Your ancestors wiped out his people. His friends are weary of you. But I have a feeling that soon they will see the honest man I see. The Avatar wants to help heal the world. He sees us trying to rebuild from the ash of our ancestors. As long as troops are pulled from certain cities and aid is provided to the reconstruction of the world, he poses us no threat." Iroh explains.

"Everyone is holding their breath to see what kind of Fire Lord I will be. I am the wild card. My own people don't think I'm a worthy successor. "Zuko knows this, but to be judge so harshly by someone he has never meant that burned.

"I have faith in you, Zuko. You simply need to have faith in yourself. You see the pain war has caused. The Fire Nation has been corrupted, the people in power don't wish to lose that power, the power that came with the murder of millions. The only way forward is to teach the people of every nation forgiveness, compassion, and tolerance. The Fire Nation will have to unlearn the hate their own government has taught them. I fear you have the hardest job of us all."

At this Zuko can only think of Katara, and if he could put her in his pocket and take her home could her healing powers save his nation?

"Katara," saying her name felt strange, like an invasion of her privacy. Iroh was looking at him with raised eyebrows. "She is going to heal me." The hope and promise in his tone was more than he could hide but out of everyone it was with his uncle that he wanted to share this miracle with.

Iroh sighed heavily. "Master Katara brings hope where ever she goes. But will this bring you happiness will this make you worthy in your own mind?" Iroh as always got right to the point.

"I want to look in the mirror and respect that man. How can I do that with this cursed mark hiding my true self?" Zuko asks. The question filled with venom and self-loathing.

Iroh sees the scar but to him it a reminder of his nephew's loyalty not of his failure. It symbolizes the moment his nephew became a man, the kind of leader the fire nation needs the most.

"I am going with them, to the Foggy Swamp. I know they don't want me to go, but to leave them on their own feels wrong. They might need the extra set of hands even if they won't admit to it." Zuko tells Iroh, he is looking down at his hands unable to look his uncle in the eye as he tells the half-truth. His not going for them, his going for her.

"Then we will make the most of the time we have together." Iroh states as the door crashes open. Zuko's head whips around to witness a four foot girl dressed in green march through the opening dragging the water bender after her. His immediately on his feet taking a fighting stance without thought.

"Prince Zuko, may I introduce Master earth bender Toph Ba Fong." The introduction was made by Iroh between sips of tea. Zuko's stance did not relax as he watched the little girl smirk and yank Katara down, her small arm wrapping around the blue eyed girl's neck.

The Di Li guard that was supposed to be protecting Katara was hanging back leaning against the door frame looking on with an amused grin. "This is who everyone is in an up roar over? The mighty Fire Lord. Puff!" The girl made the sound wavering her free hand in mockery. "I could take him down with a pink toe!" Toph blabbered releasing Katara before pushing her friend forward so she was standing in between the earth bender and the fire bender.

"You want her?" The earth bender asked. "Come and get her!" Toph's ankle twisted out and the floor swallowed Katara whole.

"No!" Zuko screamed lunging for the place Katara vanished.

"Bring her back." He growled standing. His stance solid as he prepared for battle.

"Make me, Sparky." She challenged with a smirk. He charged with a flame fist only to be incased from the neck down in marble from the palace floor. He couldn't move and her stance had barely shifted. "You call that a fair fight?" he growled, angry and worried.

"Whoever said it was going to be a fair fight? No one can defeat me! I am the Melon Lord!" She shrieked laughing wickedly. Zuko can't help but wonder what he has done in a past life to deserve for all the women he knows to be more than mildly insane.

"Toph, stop messing with him! And bring Katara back." Sokka commands entering the room, Aang right behind him.

"We were just playing, Sokka." She states shifting her foot causing Katara to shoot out from the floor, the water bender landing gracefully on her feet.

"That was not funny, Toph!" Katara scorned dusting herself off. "Release him!" She demands far more forcefully than her brother had.

"Your wish is my command, Sugar Queen." The mocking title strikes a chord with Zuko as he watches the little hellion jump up with perfect rhythm releasing him from the rock enclose.

"Are you ok?" They asked in unison rushing towards one another. Katara standing in front of him her hands on his forearms, He grasps is on her elbow, perhaps a bit too hard as they stare into each other's eyes.

"I'm fine, Toph enjoys tormenting others. I'm sorry." She blushes. Her apology was that of a mother for a wayward child.

"Keep her away from me." he growls, looking Katara over. Her tan skin unblemished and her eyes bright and blue, she is unharmed. She pulls out of his hold glaring at him and he regrets not being able to say what he really had wanted to.

Toph is laughing hysterically and Zuko can't help but sneer at the little menace.

Katara pushes him back, looking up at him like he has no soul.

"Oh this is priceless." Toph bellows, Zuko looks across at his uncle to see what Iroh thinks of the earth bender's behavior, Iroh has a small smile he is trying to hide behind a tea cup. This makes Zuko even angrier. Like he is the butt of some privet joke.

"We have an early start tomorrow. I am going to get a hot bath and go to bed, come on Aang." Katara announces, shooting one more glare at Zuko before heading for the door, her hand outstretched to the boy in the bandanna, Aang follows gladly. Zuko can feel his heart hammering against his rib cage. Toph has taken a seat next to Iroh and he is pouring her a glass of tea. Sokka is stuffing his face with food and Zuko is left wondering if the water bender and her student did everything together.

"Want one?" Sokka is offering him a pastry as he stuffs another one in his face. Zuko shakes his head looking back towards the door.

"Toph, apologize. The man won't eat, clearly you have upset him." Sokka encourages but he sounds more like: "off, apoiphiz mon no eaff, fearffy uf upfseft hif."

"His just upset because his girlfriend just ran off with a different man. Not because a tiny blind girl just kicked his as-" Sokka crammed the pastry in her mouth before she can curse. "Soffa!" she cries.

"What? Now there is no need for Katara to know. You know how she feels about bad language. "Sokka explained, food down the hatch.

"Which is why I save it for when she is not around." Toph reasoned after swallowing her mouthful of food. "Besides most of my foul language I learned from you."

"I'm not a twelve hear old girl."

"You're not? Could have fooled me."

"Har har har." Sokka mocks.

"Do they do everything together?" Zuko asks, cutting off their banter.

"Ya. Mostly. Why?" Sokka asks.

"You don't think they are going to take a bath together do you?" Toph asked hopefully.

"Of course not!" Sokka exclaimed outraged by the suggestion.

"Wouldn't be much of an older brother if you didn't verify the impossibility of it." Toph goaded.

Sokka stared at her suspiciously. "Do you know something?"

"I don't but maybe my feet do." Toph's expression was one of complete seriousness. Sokka could not tell if she was playing with him or not. He glared at her for a few seconds more before the suggestion swept its way in and he had no other choices to case after them and be sure they were behaving.

Toph's laughter followed after him.

All that remained was Toph, Iroh, and Zuko.

"You are in big trouble, Sifu hot man." Toph practically sang.

Zuko narrowed his eyes on her refusing to be bated like she had with Sokka.

"I'm sure your menacing scowl would be a lot more intimidating on someone who could see it." Toph told him waving her hand in front of her face.

Finally Zuko noticed her milky white eyes, she was blind, tiny blind girl. She had said those words but he hadn't register them, him mind had been preoccupied. "You might be blind, but I have a feeling you see just fine." He told her, turning towards Iroh, whom was staying uncharacteristically quiet. "Good night uncle." he bowed respectfully before turning to leave.

"You were right his got it bad." Toph's loud whisper is followed by a clink to the table top. Zuko didn't want to know what the pair had made bets on, instead he went to pack for the journey ahead.

Zuko woke to find Katara standing at the foot of his bed.

She looks like an avenging goddess bathed in moonlight. Her hair loose around her bare shoulders, her long white nightgown only adding innocence to the ethereal vision she has become. Her eyes are closed and he has forgotten how to breathe. She is just standing there facing him but not facing him. He hadn't heard her footsteps, she had been as quiet as a moon beam but like light he had felt her presence, waking up to find her standing quietly, half-dressed at the foot of his bed. He whispered her name through the dark, she did not answer still standing there eyes closed. She is sleep walking and he remembers hearing somewhere to never wake someone who is sleep walking, or their souls could become trapped in the spirit world.

He climbs out of bed and walks up to her, she is still, simply standing but the look of serene peace on her face shifts as an internal struggle erupts and he watches in wonder as she struggles toward consciousness. A deep gasp of breath and her eyes flutter open, he watches her as she takes in her surroundings confused by where she stands.

"Whose there?" The question is a panicked whisper, for the first time he sees her vulnerable, it gives him little comfort. He can read the fear on her face as she squints her eyes to make out his form. He realizes that while she is surrounded by moon light he is shroud in shadow and she would not be able to see him.

"Zuko, Princess Katara." He speaks formally because their informal situation seems too intimate for him to speak otherwise. He steps forward to reveal himself and watches as her eyes warm and her fear fleas into the night.

"I am in your rooms, aren't I?" She asks not bothered at all by her situation.

"Yes." He tells her unable to look away from her.

"I am sorry." She tells him, hanging her head. "I suppose it was only a matter of time before I added sleepwalking to night terrors. Did I wake you? Of course I did." She answers her own question blushing.

They stood there; her looking at her feet and him looking at her trying to memorized the way she looked in her light gown her hair unconfined. The moment was awkward but precious.

"Excuse me." She finally spoke again turning to leave. His hand shot out wrapping around hers. "You shouldn't be alone." He states. "Are you thirsty? I could make you a cup of tea. The sun will rise in just a bit, you shouldn't be alone with the nightmares." His voice is now a whisper as he waits for her refusal..

"I would like that." She whispers back. He can't hide the small smile as he pulls a satin Kimono from his wardrobe and wraps her in it. The dark red looks rich against her skin. "The sun always brings me comfort." She tells him and his heart his once more beating loudly, he hopes she cannot hear the unevenness of his breath.

He leads her out on to a balcony adjacent to the kitchens. He has made them tea and they set side by side watching the sun peak over the horizon. "You can talk about it. It might help." He encourages, sneaking glances at her. He is nervous because this is the first time they have ever been completely alone and despite the impropriety of their situation he wants her all to himself even for a few stolen moments. She looks down into her cup, she hasn't taken a single drink yet and Zuko suddenly worries about his brewing skills something he has never cared about before.

"I'm alone in the dark and I have no control over my own body until the moon finds me. Then I hear screaming in the distance and while I have control back I know that it is only an illusion because my feet must take the path I am already on it's the only way. I cannot abandon the screams." Her dream comes out rushed and pensive. He looks shocked and right away he sees the metaphor in it, and understands her fears.

"Have you talked to uncle about it? He is pretty good at deciphering dreams." Zuko tells her.

She smiles shyly. "He seems to believe my destiny has found me and the sooner I accept it the sooner my nightmares with be resolved."

"What destiny?" Zuko asks, curious what all his uncle interrupted.

"It doesn't matter. Iroh is wrong. My dreams are not an internal battle of choice. I feel they are more literal in meaning. There is something very wrong taking place in the Fire Nation and the moon wants me to stop it."

This takes Zuko back. He feels like this is directed at him and for the first time since he awoke with her in his rooms he is able to look away from her. "Zuko." she speaks his name like an endearment there are tears in his eyes and he shuts the tightly to prevent them from spilling out. He can feel her eyes on him and just like that he is back to hating her. "None of this has to do with you. You are a great leader. This is something else, something you have no control over." She is trying to placate him, as he glowers next to her. He refuses to answer knowing his own emotions will betray him and while he is offended he does not want her to run away from him again.

"I know it's the Fire Nation because I recognize a tree, its knarred and black warped in a way that no other looks like it in the world. I'm hoping the ancient banyan-grove tree will shed more light on what is happening. Your country is one of flourishing beauty, its people strong and loyal to you."

He barks out a disbelieving laugh opening his eyes and again he is starring at her.

"When is the last time you walked among them?" She asked, her head tilts in a way that implies true curiosity. Her own gaze is soft and pensive. Zuko realizes she is trying to comfort him and his shocked by her question. Never. It was not proper to converse with commoners. This must have shown on his face for her eyes widen and her coo of understanding, brought her warm touch to his scared cheek. "You will come with us to the Foggy Swamps then to your own country. I will show you the truth of your inheritance and then you will see what your nation and family see."

"And what is that? A traitorous monster?" he scorned as he pulls her hand from his cheek gripping both her arms in his, he hated looking this weak, especially in front of her, how did she make him feel this raw with just a few words.

She looks so honest staring up at him letting him have his childish moment. He lets her go afraid he has hurt her. "An honorable leader" She tells him, scooting closer. She timidly wraps her arms around his waist and leans her head against his shoulder. He notices her tea setting beside her, she still has not touched it. Her small body fits his perfectly and he is torn between wanting to push her away and reveling in the feeling of her pressed up against him. Before he is able decide her breath becomes steady and her body relaxes in a way he knows she is back asleep, the decision makes its self as he wraps an arm around her securing her at his side.

Anger is an easier emotion to deal with. He knows anger, it has been lifelong friend, it is a less confusing emotion than others. Its anger he substitutes whatever is clawing at his insides. Anger at himself for his weakness and anger at her for her soft skin and warm body. For making him feel something he has no idea how to deal with.

His prior indifference had not been a claim of heartlessness- it had simply been fact. He had never understood what other boys would boast of or blather on about. Girls simply were not as shinny as his blades. Practicing, working hard, preparing was far more engaging than any silly girl. This was something his cousin had teased him about and something Azula enjoyed exploiting often, and at the expense of her friends. He should have known better than to find himself at such a disadvantage. From the first moment she landed on top of him, he was in trouble. He should never of teases Yue, putting those thoughts into his own head, or been allowed to watch her dance, because he felt this before he even knew she could heal him. These feelings were complicating things. He used his free hand to sweep a fallen strand of hair out of her face letting his touch linger. His thumb brush across her bottom lip she sighed deeply, sucking in her bottom lip and scratching her teeth across it. His touch must of tickled he mused, watching her settle back against him comfortably. He holds her until the sun begins to peek along the horizon. Power fills him and he becomes antsy. Slowly he pulls off his own shirt, carefully lowing the sleeping girl so her head rests comfortably on the garment. He takes a few steps away looking back to make sure he has not woken her. Then he turns and puts a safe distance between them so he can practice but still keep an eye on her.

He starts as he always does with his sequence of breathing, warming the furnaceup. The first sequence of bending are easy steps that focus more on technique than power. The ones that follow build upon one another until he is walking through the advance steps his uncle had started him on a month ago and he had yet to prefect. These were the foundation to learning how to form and control lighting. These were the step he was desperate to master. He walked through them slowly twice, then on the third run he added speed. He fluster and failed as the fire burned too hot, let alone be separated.

He growled loudly frustrated, forgetting the sleeping water bender. He looked over to find her spread out on her side, head propped up on a hand, eyes wide open and watching him. He looked away, embarrassed she had undoubtedly witnessed him mess up.

He set it up again, his back to her forcing himself to focus.

Now she is standing at his side, she was so quiet he hadn't heard her approach. "Who was the original Fire benders?" she asks him. He sees it in her eyes that she already knows the answer but still expects one from him. "The dragons." He humors her.

"The first water bender was the moon. My people saw how it pushed and pulled the ties and we learned from that. The original source of bending shows us where to draw power from. Where do you draw your power from, Zuko?" she asks him and he realizes she is trying to teach him.

"Look, I don't need your help, you're a water bender, you don't know anything about fire bending." he snaps. She just smiles up at him in a good humored sort of way.

"You uncle told me that you spoke of the Avatar's return. The Avatar still needs to learn fire bending. He tried it once a while ago and for one second he lost control, he burnt me pretty bad. I ran to the lake and placed my burned hands in the river, that was how I found out I was a healer. But since that day the Avatar has refused to learn fire bending. He is afraid because all he has seen is the destruction it causes. But what he doesn't understand is that any of the elements can cause destruction, all four have the components of life and death. You draw your energy from your emotions, mostly rage, and while it is a strong force you struggle controlling it. You need a different source of power and the purest one to draw from is the original. Fire doesn't just burn it gives us light and keeps us warm. Thank you for lighting my dreams and keeping me warm last night. I'll let you finish your practice then it would be a good idea to get your things together. Sokka wants to leave after breakfast." she smiles again, leaving him to digest her words. Shock is what his left with and only the ability to once more watch her walk away from him.

Katara didn't know what was wrong with her. She was losing her mind. Sleep walking into his rooms, snuggling up and falling asleep on him, what he must think of her! She returned to her rooms getting dress then went to join her friends for breakfast. Toph grinned widely when she entered, Sokka and Aang did not look up from their food to notice. "How'd you sleep last night?" Her brother asked after swallowing his food.

"Not well. I woke to find myself in the fire prince's rooms." She replied reaching across the table to snag a mango. There was a deafening silence, the commotion of breakfast stood still as three pairs of eyes turned towards her.

"And what did he do?" Sokka asked in a chilled worry brother tone.

Katara shrugged, "Made me tea." She was going for nonchalance, acting as if the whole interaction was no big deal. But just thinking about it gave her goose bumps, how warm he had been, how gentle. Toph must have sensed this if her own grin was anything to go by.

"Now your sleep walking. Great." Aang said his own hurt echoing in his eyes at her admission but like her he would focusing on the bigger issue rather than the jealousy he felt that another got to comfort her in her time of need.

"I would like to leave within the hour, if its good weather perhaps we could reach the Foggy Swamp in just a few days. I need answers."

"And sleep." Sokka pointy stated. Apparently grouchy over his sister's nightly escapades.

Katara simply shrugged and nodded in agreement, she really could use a full night's sleep. Maybe then she wouldn't sneak in to boy's rooms in only her pajamas.

A different pace is set as they travel. Everyone is wound tight and there is an urgency that was not there before. Toph was the one that dragged Aang off into the forest whenever they landed. Zuko made the most of opportunity offering whatever services he can to Katara, from gathering fire wood and helping her cook, to helping her wash and dry clothes. She made a game of it, like a dance or sparring match and Zuko found himself actually looking forward to doing chores. This cherished time however earned him a shadow on the second day. Sokka suddenly decides that he too needs to help with the chores, tasks he had avoided like a plague suddenly he was now elbow deep in completing. Aang and Toph would be gone for hours before they would show back up- Aang looked exhausted and Toph always returned with a spring in her step. Katara did not seem worried over the shift in attention she was getting from the boy, and this confused Zuko. He had thought they were, well sort of dating, but now he wonders what is really going on between them.

He made the most of their time together while they were never really alone, Sokka was keeping an eye on them, and the guy wasn't the most subtle observer. But Katara seemed happy for the help and Zuko was happy to be spending any kind of time with her even if it was chaperoned.

Zuko kept waiting for the brotherly talk about what happened a few nights pass, only that talk never took place and Zuko was feeling ill at ease to bring it up. He knew she had to of said something to her brother, if there was one thing he has learned about the little water bender it's that she doesn't lie, not even by default. So Sokka's glares could only be chalked up to brotherly concern. That was something Zuko could respect.

Toph was a different matter altogether. She had a life's mission to piss him off and complete her work in a way that was sly and unobservant by the others. Like she would wait until he had settled on his sleeping bag, the one he got for himself in Ba Sing Se, to construct her earth tent practically on his head. Or she cleaned her toes right next to him while he was sharpening his swords. Or that perpetual smirk that would coil on to her face every time she knew he was there. Like she had a secret that she wanted to hang over his over his head. He wanted to know what exactly he had done to offend her.

His opportunity presented its self on the morning they landed outside the Foggy Swamps Toph was standing away from the others and Zuko decided this might be his only chance to make peace.

"You can't have her." Toph says in way of a greeting. Zuko has no intention to be coy. They need to come to friendly terms.

"I don't have friends. Never have, not much of a family either. What you have here is amazing. How would they react if they knew how you were treating a potential allies?" Zuko asked.

"Are you going to tattle, to mommy?" the mocking tone does little to disguise the hurt. Having observed the interaction of this group, Zuko knows the earth bender is referring to Katara.

"No. But if you keep this up no one will need to."

"I know you love her, and it's not like Haru or even Lee, a little in awe just a boyish crush. She consumes you. You have known her what a week? What gives you the right? Aang has loved her for years. But is you, her heart races in response to, she can't seem to catch her breath when you are in a room together. I was raised with people like you. She is too good for the likes of you."

"I am here to protect my investment." he tells her steadily, he doesn't have to try to keep calm, the knowledge that perhaps Katara feels the same way is enough to keep him grounded.

She has that irritating smirk on her face again. "And I'm not a human lie detector." she response walking away to join the others. Aang throws an arm around her neck giving her a half hug, she blushes. Zuko follows suddenly understanding what the earth bender's issue truly is.

The tribe is waiting for them in an honored precession when they walk into the forest surrounding the Foggy Swamps. Due with his kind eyes and simple ways, waste no time in spoiling Appa with fresh foliage, Slim, his catogater at his heels. Tho along with a group of the village's finest warrior help Sokka unpack while hanging on his every word. Toph has already made it up to the village dry earth under her feet as she grumbles about all the water, no one dares approach her since her last visit when she almost flattened the chief's hunt in a tirade. Sokka is the tribe's very own newspaper, he always had the best stories and updates to the outside world. Katara is laughing as the smallest of the children greet her and Aang with tackle hugs, each one eager to show off what they have learned since the group's last visit. Katara looks back remembering the newest addition to their group, Prince Zuko, is wearing a royal sneer as he is having a hard time concealing his thoughts, for the first time she is able to read the expression on his face. He is very far from home.

"Come on, Zuko. I'll clean those off for you when you reach dry land." Katara encourages as he glares at his wet boots. He looks up at her and the right side of his mouth curves up in to something akin to amusement. She feels heat rise to her cheeks and a fluttering in her chest. She smiles to herself bending down to pick up Sal, a two year old from the tribe that is pulling on her skirt.

Katara chose to wear one of her lighter dresses her arm guards are already strapped in place. She is looking for Huu hoping he will guide her to the tree before midday. As much as she loves and respects the tribe she does not wish to spend more than one night among them especially with particular company in tow.

Rin finds her first, Huu's freckled face daughter, the girl is a year older then Katara and as gifted as her father.

"Dad told me you were coming." Rin stated, eyeing the toddler in her arms.

"Good to see you too." Katara greeted, shifting the child to her hip.

"I'm supposed to take you to him, his been at the tree for days now. They are waiting for you." Rin says, sounding a bit like everyone's lives have been put on hold because of her.

"Then let's go. I'm ready." Katara tries to hand Sal off to Aang who is bouncing in excitement at the prospect of hold the toddler. Sal shakes his head clinging to Katara tighter.

"Hey there big man. I need some man help, come on." as always Sokka's timing is perfect the toddler goes to Sokka willingly if not a little reluctant. Katara gives the child an affectionate peck on the head before her brother walks off chatting to Sal.

"Katara delivered Sal. On the group's first trip here. His mother tells him stories of the ice bender who save her life and his. She is something of a hero to the boy and kin to us." Rin tells Zuko her eyes still on Sokka. Zuko looks at the water bender clearly impressed. Katara shrugs she has delivered many babies all over the world.

"I'm coming." Aang informs Rin who turns her attention back to the group before her.

"Me too." Zuko is standing at Katara's side, arms crossed apparently determined to put up a fight if need be. Rin just shrugs before turning and leading the way. The tribe knew well enough that every stranger deserved to be at the mercy of the swamp, gave them a healthy respect for life, at last that is what Huu liked to say. Katara had no desire to stop him maybe he would find answers, she knew that at last she was going to get some.

"Just remember, when we get separated follow your path and it will lead you where you need to go." Rin reminded them. Katara and Aang nodded, Zuko's face paled and a tight look of determination replaced the one of uncertainty. He reached out wrapping his hand around hers. She did not express her surprise, instead grasping his hand in hers knowing that if the swamp willed it they would be separated and there was nothing the future Fire Lord could do to prevent it.


	4. Chapter 4

Zuko felt as though he was the main course for the insect population of the swamp as he smacked the back of his neck again- killing another bug. His hold on Katara still secure as they wade through the marshes. Rin lead the way her pale skin and golden eyes reminded him of the fire nation and Zuko found himself wondering where this tribe originated from. He watched Aang spin around the boy's eyes darting to Katara and Zuko's clasped hands, Aang didn't even try to hide the green eyed monster that blazed on his face. "Aang." Katara had a way of saying someone's name and meaning more than what was verbalized. The boy blushed turning back around the tips of his ears still pink.

Zuko hears the rushing water, right before he is jerked around, Katara shoved him behind her, he grabs the back of her dress holding on to her, she uses her now free hands to water bend the dangerous intent of swamp water up, over and around them. Leaving them drenched and sticky from the heat. Aang and Rin are gone and Zuko pulls Katara around, his hold now on her forearms as he clings to her like a life line.

"What? Are you?" his spluttering and the words are not coming out. But Katara understands.

"The swamp has a will of its own, Zuko. I'm fine and so are the others." She smiles reassuring at him.

Now his gawking at her like she has grown horns. His grip on her arms turn painful and suddenly there is a deadly intent in his eyes. "What have you done?" he screams shaking her. "I warned you not to cross me, Azula."

Katara does not know who Azula is but she knows by the anger on his face and the desperation in his grip that she needs to get away from him. She knows it's useless to reason with him, the swamp has blinded him and whatever she dares to say might only infuriate him, she uses an offensive maneuver she learned from the

Kyoshi warriors using his delirium and his own weight to catch him off guard long enough for her to slip out of his hold and run the opposite way. Her destination doesn't matter, the swamp will lead her where she is meant to go.

She runs until his screams of injustices fades into the melody of swamp life, then she runs until the stich in her side makes it impossible to go any farther. She is breathing heard the humidity makes it difficult to catch her breath so she waves her hand through the air making frost fall on her face as it melts it cools the air making it possible for her to breathe. She looks down her feet are submerged in water and the water is the reflection of the night's sky; glittering stars and a full moon shinning up at her. She looks up to where the sun remains high and hot in the swap sky. "Ok La, what do you need from me?" she asks looking back into the night sky water watching as the moon begins to float along the current. Katara follows ready for answers.

La leads her to a vision of the black knarred tree from her dreams there at the foot is a small wooden sign with the name of a fire nation village etched on the surface. At last Katara has a destination though the purpose still remains unseen. Still she understands in part why La was calling to her instead of Aang, it was after all, Katara who asked for La's guidance in healing the fire nation prince. There was a debt she owed to the spirits.

There is a soft melody in a sudden breeze and in the horizon marionettes appear dancing in rhyme to the song. The strings black and coarse visible from the distance, the puppets are a variety of men, women and children all dressed in fire nation attire. It's a frightful sight and Katara looks down to see what the moon thinks of the vision only to find its surface split in two and a twisted inhuman grin takes form on the moon's surface before something drops from above splashing water in her face. Katara uses her forearm to wipe the water out of her eyes looking around at the sudden quiet and perfectly normal swap. Huu is standing in front of her with a joyous smile and waiting embrace.

She hugs her friend letting him lead her up onto the massive roots of the ancient banyan-grove tree. Were they takes seats next to one another. Huu offers her fresh water to drink that she gulps it down gladly before handing it back. Huu nods and together they began the mediation cycle that will help her make sense of what she saw.

He doesn't know how she found him, but Azula had a lot to answer for. He had warned her of her fate if she went against him when Ozi was killed. She had declared her allegiance to him and while Azula always lies Zuko had hoped that perhaps that for once in her life she would keep her word. Taking Katara was unforgivable. If one hair was out of place on his water bender's head he swore he would end his sister himself. He ran after Azula when she ducked out of his hold yelling in desperation and anger when she vanished in the fog. He tried to shoot fire balls into the fog lighting the area so he could see which way she ran but the air was too dense he couldn't form fire in these conditions. He tried again and again almost exhausting himself while trying to form the flames, then he remembered his swords strapped to his back and that they are just as deadly as his fire. He entered the fog with purpose ready for his trickery sister whenever she decided to make her next move. He knew she wasn't alone. She never did anything without Mai and Ty Lee, he would be ready three against one was not much of a disadvantage when your use to it.

He makes it through the fog, the other side thick with foliage there is a choice; to cut through it or go around.

He know this place is sacred, the word was in the name of that tree after all and Katara believed she could contact the spirits in this swamp. If there was one thing that Iroh drilled into his pupil it was to always respect the spirits no matter what nation. That was when he heard her scream echo around him. Katara's painful cry, "Zuko!" He took a step forward his blade raised, every muscle coiled ready to respond, to cut away and find her but there was something off about the scream, something he can't help but be logical about. Why would she call out for him?

"No", he told himself. He bowed in respect re-sheathing his swords. He would respect the spirits and by doing so they will protect her. He knows this deep down. He watches in wonder as the leaves and trees shift providing him with a path where moments ago there was none. He sprints into the opening, following the path as it appears before him.

He searched for hours. The sun begins to set and while he has excellent stamina he starts to wonder if Azula is even still in the swamp. That is when he sees someone in the distance. Dark hair up in a topknot slight built and fire nation armor. He calls out, not concerned about the element of surprise. The person turns and Zuko can't help the confusion that stops him in his tracks.

The young man has more angular features and the same golden eyes that he has saw in the mirror for the past sixteen years. The man is an older Zuko with a perfectly handsome face and ugly sneer. His older self looks mean as he eyes young Zuko with deadly intent, drawling his swords. Present Zuko doesn't understand looking at himself and the expression on his face was once he remembered seeing on his father. "No, we are not him!" Young Zuko screams to his older self.

The older Zuko tilts his head and roles his shoulders. "I am not weak." He says before charging blade swinging.

"Neither am I." Present Zuko states drawing his own swords. He would not let some pretty faced version of himself defeat him. He was strong not just physically but mentally. He was the future Fire Lord. He fought himself it was strange and renewing. He didn't know if this was what he turned into or if this is what he would have become under his father's reign. Either way he would defeat this daemon and never follow such a dark road himself. There is something in the way the older version of him fights that suggests he mostly relies on his fire bending, that his hand to hand combat is not nearly as well-honed as younger him. This is the advantage that tips the scales as present Zuko is able to disarm his older self. "Look at the kingdom I have built." Older Zuko states proudly from his prone position on the swamp floor.

Present Zuko chances a look behind him and he sees it the whole world, like the maps Iroh keeps on his wall etched into the soft earth of the swamp. Each nation drawn out in detail from rivers and cities to the vase ocean, and it was all on fire. It was a nightmare watching as the world burned and to look into his own satisfied face as he stand helpless to help anyone.

"I am not you, none of this is real." Young Zuko shouts at his older self.

"It's as real as you make it." His older self says before fading into nothingness.

Present Zuko is left crouched down staring into the destruction of the world. Gentle waves began to rise filling in the ocean and the rivers, it slowly floods putting out the fire leaving the scorched earth covered in wet ash.

"The ash will make the land fertile and the swamp will provide the seeds to regrow the damage." Katara is standing behind him with a sweet smile. He stands and turns the look of defeat on his face. "I do not know the troubles you face, Prince Zuko, but make no doubt that you now have friends to face them with. You are not alone." She tells him holding out a hand.

He can feel it again, like his heart is swelling so painfully he does not understand or know how to deal with it, he feels himself recoil a part of him wants to reject it, to turn away, he is not weak. He does not realize he mumbles this oath aloud until she speaks again.

"It intrigues me the way certain cultures perceive weakness. In my tribe it is the loner that is weak. The person who refuses to work with others, to be part of the tribe. It is that man that will be lost to the tundra that will freeze and go hungry. It is as a community of family and friends that our people survive and thrive." Her honest eyes sweep him in and his hand finds its way into hers without hesitation. "You must accept the choices you have made. Only then will you learn to define your emotions and control your rage." He silently allows her to lead him under the canopy of a massive tree. Her words wash over him as he reflects to what just took place in the swamp. He fears that future, of what he might become, a monster of his father's legacy.

Katara takes a seat cross legged returning to her meditation. She looks over her shoulder to find the fire nation prince still standing, where she left him arms crossed, and eyes fixed on her. She pats the ground besides her silently inviting him to join her. His harsh expression softens as he marches over and gracefully sits beside her.

"I'm sorry." he seems to be making a habit of apologizing to this girl.

"There is a rhythm to these things, it starts with clearing the mind." Katara closes her eyes. Zuko opens his mouth ready to ask if she is okay when she reaches over placing her hand over his mouth. "No talking. Only breathing." She instructs as she works them through the meditation process. Opening their mind and surrendering themselves to the knowledge the swamp has provide.

They return to the village in time for dinner. A communal affair around a warm campfire, it reminded Katara of home. Zuko sat stiffed back beside her if the hard line that formed his mouth was anything to go by, he was not enjoying himself. She finished her dinner and was being pulled up and out into the celebration circle by Lee, Rin's younger brother. The tribal dances were a far cry from the pristine courts of Iroh's kingdom. This was instinctual no steps to memorize of follow, the drums in tune with your heart as you felt and moved to the beat of the music. She always danced with the tribe. Rather it be with Lee, Aang, Rin or anyone else that asked her, she had never considered acting other than how she always did, never once did the thought that her actions may offend their guest.

Zuko felt like burning something as he watched the savage boy pull Katara away from his side. She was naturally graceful, a beautiful sight to behold, no wonder so many watched her in awe. But be felt the anger again boiling below the surface as the drums found their beat and he realized she would be dancing with another boy.

Toph comes over plopping down next to him she is slurping her noodles. Zuko tears his eyes away from a dancing Katara long enough to look at the earth bender beside him.

"What do you want?" His rudeness doesn't seem to surprise her as she stretches her legs out making herself comfortable.

"I may have been a bit harsh earlier."

"Sokka is making you be nice, isn't he?"  
She presses her lips together clearly annoyed by his observation. "He might have had some choice words about my recent behavior." Toph admitted.

Zuko feels like he should say something but relating to another person does not come naturally to him. "His fun." Zuko stated nodding towards Aang who was the source of the children's entertainment for the night.

"His an idiot." Toph states knowing to whom Zuko is referring.

Zuko shrugs. Yes the boy is an idiot; a cute; fun loving, powerful idiot whom Katara adores. "His outlook on life is so simple and care free."

"Whow, you have no idea what your family's war has put my friends through. The fact that Aang can still be who he is despite the great lost he has experienced is because of Katara. She, along with the rest of us has become his family. And in turn Aang has given Katara back something she had lost when the southern raiders murdered her mother, hope. You can't even began to fathom the depth of hatred that is owed to your people. But despite all this, these two have become each other's miracles and the world has begun to heal because of them. Don't you understand what is at stake, how you feeling anything besides comradely towards her could ruin the balance of the universe?"

"Being a little dramatic aren't we? Do you tell yourself this so it doesn't hurt when you look at them together?" Zuko asked watching as Toph chokes on her drink and blushes in response.

"I think it's safe to say that the fate of the universe does not depend on two fourteen year olds romantic entanglements." Zuko reasons.

"Depends on the two fourteen year olds." Toph grumbles. This makes Zuko smile, something he has been doing a whole lot more since meeting this group of children.

"Your denial won't change the fact that you care for him. She seems ignorant of his affections why don't you tell him how you feel?"

She scoffs at this, "Because I would lose everything if he didn't feel the same way. My home is with Katara, Sokka, and Aang. I wouldn't risk it. Not ever. My own family doesn't understand me, they think I am weak and helpless because I can't see. But you were right, I see the world just fine, I see things that others choose to ignore."

"You Toph Bei Fong are not weak or helpless. Not many people can take me in a fight and you crushed me." He says channeling his inner Katara, she had spent enough time over the past week talking him up, and he thought he was doing a pretty good impression, at least up until the point Toph punched him in the side of the arm. "Ouch!" He bellowed. She simply smirked, the emotionally frustrated girl was replaced by the ferocious earth bender.

"What? That's how I show affection." She informs him.

Suddenly an arm is wrapped around each of them and they are being pulled in and smashed together with Sokka in-between. "Ah, I can feel the love." He states releasing the pair and climbing past them on to the dance floor where he begins to imitate a flamingo-crane.

"Shit, his hit the cactus juice again." Toph announces before marching toward her drunk friend.

Zuko watched entertained as Toph approaches Sokka who is standing on one leg flapping his arms in the air. Seriously this guy could beat the Dragon of the West at Pi Sho. Clearly Zuko was missing something.

He too stands stretching his legs while searching for Katara, whom was still dancing and laughing with the same swamp boy that originally came and swept her away. He was going to have to remedy that. How could Sokka allow this kind of behavior or even Aang allowing her to flirt with whomever she wished? Wasn't she taken? That is what everyone kept telling him but Aang didn't seem remotely upset over the fact that someone else was dancing so freely with the water bender.

As Zuko approaches them, the beat changes tempo and the couples part, the women move to an inner circle while the men form a larger circle around them. Zuko is being shove back into the outer circle and away from Katara. He pushes back attempting to once more walk up to her only to be pulled back into the men's circle. Frustrated the fire is called, both his hands consumed to prevent anyone from touching him again. The men who had been pulling on him jump back wide eyed in fear. Suddenly Katara is there standing in front of him, she is smiling but her eyes reflect her worry. "Dance with me?" She asks and he nods. "Follow the others, with the turning of the beat I'll find you.." She reaches out and he feels his body cool by several degrees as water from her canteen extinguish the flames on his arms. Steams sizzles and disburses and she has returned to the inner circle though her eyes are on him watching as he turns and follows the men whom return to his sides with a nod from Katara.

There is a lot of stomping, clapping and flexing muscles for the men's part. Zuko is concentrating so hard he is unable to watch the women's part until the dance begins to repeat itself. The women's is a flowing movement of hands and ribbon, slow and graceful as their hips sway in tune and they are singing a soothing melody, the words Zuko cannot make out. Katara is watching him as she sings and preforms her part of the dance, her smile is broad and contagious as Zuko finds himself smiling back at her. She must be enjoying the show, he muses. Looking around and realizing that all the men are bare chest apart from him, he watches as Katara's eyes drift to the young man beside him, the same boy that was dancing with her earlier. Not one to be showed up, he pulls his shirt off tossing it on a log behind him. Her eyes are back on him as he just like the others, is flexing his muscles. Katara is laughing hysterically while, Rin, who is standing beside her, rolls her eyes. He shrugs and executes the next, now memorized steps of stomping.

Then the beat changes and the men step forward before becoming live statues, all standing completely still arms behind their backs, while the women make a full circle around stopping to face each man in turn. The women come together in a tight cluster before disbursing with chaotic efficiency each woman grabbing a man of her choice and pushing through to dance solely with him. Rin is eyeing him and he his shooting her his meanest glare daring her to try and approach him. She takes a step back and he is looking again for Katara whom vanished in the crowd of women and he lost track of her. The boy beside him has yet to be picked, and he looks over to Zuko down his nose a bit too arrogant for any savage. Zuko simply ignores him, not caring what ruffled his feathers. Then he sees her approaching, her braid swinging behind her and she is walking, unlike the other women around her who are racing to each man, a few not even making it to their first choice before they are snatched away having to pick another partner.

Zuko can feel the tension between himself and the boy next to him. "Your ugly face has frighten away all the girls." The boy hisses under his breath to Zuko. It is the first time anyone has ever insulted him to his face and he is surprised to find he doesn't care. The boy holds out his hand to Katara who ignores it and walks right up to Zuko, grabbing his hand and pulling him after her with the confidence of a queen. Zuko is all smiles as he chances a look over his shoulder to see the furious look of the swamp boy, and Rin standing at his side with her own look of contempt directed at him.

They stop and the music became louder than it has yet been. All of Zuko's attention is on the beautiful water bender in his arms and the way her eyes meet his. "It starts with my back to you, we hold hands like this." She turns holding her arms out, he takes her hands in his and she pulls him in, so that her back is flush against his front. "Good, now four slow turns to the right," She walks him through the steps. "And four to the left." They perform the turns and he releases her hands when she tells him to, she then wraps them around his neck, her back arched up, her head resting on his shoulder and he suddenly forgets how to breathe. He doesn't wait for instruction no longer caring what the others are doing instead following the internal pull that takes over as he buries his face in her neck, wrapping his arms around her waist and hoisting her off the ground pulling her into him. When her feet find the ground again she turns to face him her hands on his shoulders and her eyes blazing with emotion. Again he hoists her off the ground turning in a full circle before setting her back down, her body still pressed into his. Its moment like these he doesn't care that she is fourteen, he will wait for her, two years or a hundred, he realizes that he wants only her forever and always.

His golden eyes are liquid as he stares down at her with a look she doesn't understand, his jaw clinched and his expression hostile. It was the same look he gave her the day they meant, her falling on top of him and him holding her, assessing her, she wonders what she has done this time to offend the fire nation prince.

She smiles at him because it is her last defense, she doesn't understand his mood swings; how one moment he is smiling then the next his devouring her with his eyes. She understands her heart and that she is attracted to him in a way she struggles to hide. But because she doesn't know if he can be trusted, despite Iroh's reassurance, because his internal struggle of good and evil has yet to be decided, and it is the anger that scares her into keeping her heart in check and pretending that the way his body feels pressed against hers doesn't satisfy every girly day dream she has had about him since they met. Instead she convinces herself over and over again that all she wants from him is friendship. His bare chest is under her fingers and his skin is hot to the touch. She's giddy in a way that reminds her of Yue and Sokka. How many times had she teased her friend only to become a victim of her own girly emotions? She chances a look at him under her eye lashes, she has forgotten she was supposed to be walking him through steps to a dance he did not know, she didn't care as he took lead and guided her through his own steps to the tribal dance. Every part of her body was honed in on him and his proximity.

Suddenly he is being thrown away from her and she is pushed back and restrained by someone's hold. "Get your hands off her!" Zuko shouts over the drums bringing the attention of the tribe to the fight that just broke out. The quiet is instantaneous and Toph is there earth bending the two men holding on to Katara out of the way freeing her friends.

"If you hurt her, I will collapse this village!" Toph howls. Katara's hand is on her friend's arm. "I'm fine. Just stupid pride filled boys. Don't you dare destroy these people's homes!" Katara reassures marching toward where Zuko and Lee were suddenly lost to fog. Toph shrugs moving to hover behind her friend ready for anyone whom dares to hurt the water bender.

Someone punched Zuko in the face as fog engulfs the area that he and his assailant are in. He watches Toph free Katara as the fog clouds his vision. No matter it wasn't the first time he fought without sight. The first hit was lucky, a matter of surprise without any true strength, but it was the only hit the boy was going to get in. Something swung at him again tying itself around his ankle and pulling, Zuko hopped on one leg, pulling his blades free and cutting himself loose before he could lose his balance. "Fire nation scum. How dare you touch her!" It's the boy from earlier the one that danced with Katara then insulted him. A jealous vengeance. This made Zuko laugh, a real one like the one he gave Yue a few days past. Because how could this boy even think he was a contender for Katara's heart?

"Zuko?" He heard her cry out in the fog it was a question, was he ok, she was asking. He put his blades away worried he might hurt her, then the air drops several degrees and a burst of wind pushes the fog out clearing the area. The swamp boy standing an arm's reach away from Zuko with a crudely made knife in hand. Zuko's eyes fixate on the boy a challenge in his expression that the boy reads and his face pales in response to. Zuko doesn't see Aang standing in the middle of the area, having just preformed an air bending move, the fire nation prince's eyes are still trained on Lee, as Huu approaches him and Katara reaches Zuko her arms surrounding him, he pulls her closer in response. "Are you ok?" She asks looking up at the hard expression on his face.

"I don't want to kill him." Zuko tells her shocking himself at this admission. His anger is minuscule to what he typically feels and he can't help but be in awe of this revelation.

"Well I do!" Toph growls from behind them. "You put Katara in danger!" She pointed an accusing finger at Lee.

"I am sorry for Lee's behavior, but please allow the council to handle him." Huu was looking to Aang who had his arms crossed looking upset over the entire exchange.

"I think the festivities are over for tonight. In the morning we will leave. I am sorry we have disrupted your tribe but perhaps your future leader needs a walk into the swamp." Is all the boy in the bandanna says before hanging his head and walking towards Appa. Leaving the others to follow.

They leave on Appa the following morning. Huu has prepared them rations for their journey. While everyone says their good byes, Zuko notice Lee standing next to a hut off to the side, the boys eyes glued on Katara. "Do not worry, I told him he was to stay put and if she wanted to talk to him she would." this is Huu telling him this. They both watch Katara give her last hug and climb on Appa, completely ignoring Lee. Zuko nods to Huu before jogging over in time to help Katara into Appa's saddle then takes a seat next to her. "How did you sleep last night?" he asks already knowing the answer.

"I actually slept, but I'm still tired. Doesn't make much sense."

"How long has it been since you got a full night sleep?" Zuko asks.

She looks at him like she really doesn't what to answer, and suddenly Zuko wonders what she is hiding from him.

"I guess about two months." she tells him looking at her hands in her lap.

"Why is the moon talking to you? Isn't that Avatar stuff?" He asks hoping for more than a one word answer.

"Normally yes, but I asked La for a favor and in return she wants one from me." Katara explains.

"What favor?" Zuko asks hoping it's not what he thinks it is.

She gives him a pitiful look, and he knows.

"I'm the reason aren't I?" he can't help but ask.

"Zuko." she says his name so tenderly and he finally gets it, what Sokka keeps saying about her, she is the most selfless person he has ever meant.

"My vanity is not worth your health. "He tells her meaning it.

"This was never about vanity." she explains she is back to smiling at him. "And in time you will learn, I get to make my own decisions when it comes to who and what is worthy of my health."

This makes him wonder who has tried to control her and he can't help but look over to Sokka who is nursing a hangover.

"I could heal him. But I won't a horrible headache after a night of drinking is good for any fearless leader." Katara states misreading him.

"Move over, lover boy." Toph yells seconds before nearly landing on top of him. Zuko dodges her easily then watches a bit resentful as the young girl made herself comfortable in his seat.

"Katara." Toph whines giving the water bender an uncharacterized hug. Katara hugs her while watching Aang climb on top of Appa's head, Momo curled up on his head. Soon she would need to tell Zuko about Aang being the Avatar.

Zuko was pouting arms crossed as they took off. He didn't bother waving to the savage tribe, hoping to never see any of them for as long as he lived. Toph was making the most of tormenting him. He didn't understand what she was after, the reaction or the intent. He had thought they had come to an understanding, after all they should be friends, she liked the boy that liked the girl he liked. Didn't that by default make them allies? Only she seemed to be taking on the opposite role attempting to get Katara to notice Aang. That was the conversation that was currently going on. Toph talking up the boy in the bandanna while Katara pulled out some mending and sent Zuko an apologetic look.

"Aang is probably the most powerful bender I know. And didn't Madame Woo say…"

"I thought you were the most powerful bender you know, all mighty Melon Lord." Katara giggle interrupting her friend.

"Well you can't marry me, Katara." Toph's duh tone making Katara giggle again.

"But your so cute!" the water bender proclaims reaching over and tickling the little heathen. Toph with nowhere to escape and no ground to bend is caught at the mercy of master water bender Katara. Both girls laughing like loos.

"Can't a man get some peace and quiet?" Sokka shouts across the saddle. Aang is looking over his shoulder, the expression on his face makes Zuko believe him to be contemplating in joining the tickle fest.

"Are you going to go binging on cactus juice again?" Katara asks in a sisterly haha way.

Sokka is squinting against the sun light. "What a man does during man time is none of your concern little sister. Am I right, Zuko?"

Zuko looked over at Sokka brows furrowed, Sokka's definition of 'Man Time' certainly differed from his own definition.

"My little sister is thankfully not here, but if you want I will promise to never drink cactus juice." Zuko promised looking over to the pretty water bender.  
"Ass kisser." Toph proclaims, before quickly covering her mouth with her hands looking up at the motherly glare of Katara.

"Do I need to wash your mouth out again, Miss Potty mouth?" Katara asked.

"No." Toph stated shaking her head, a healthy coat of dirt was one thing mud in places that chaffed was a completely different story.

Katara gave Toph another good glare. "Sorry." She apologized to Zuko. Zuko could only shrug wondering not for the first time how Katara seemed to be the only one to check the Earth bender.

"Do you want me to help with that?" Toph offered gesturing to the sewing Katara was once more focused on. Katara just ignored her.

Sokka groans laying on his back with his bag over his face. Zuko did not quite understand what was transpiring.

"Well?" again Toph asked this time Aang looked back and rolled his eyes.

"Katara, if she wants to help, you should let her." Zuko encouraged.

"You want me to give a needle to a blind girl who has never stitched anything in her life and let her loose on hemming Sokka's pants?" Katara was looking at him like he was crazy.

"What? Just because I'm blind you don't think I can sew?"

"No, you could probably learn to sew if you really had any interest, but you don't. You are just messing with Zuko." Katara calls her friend out not once looking up from her stitching.

"Ya, your right. Sifu Hotman you just make it too easy. Your almost as gullible as Sokka." Toph states turning her attention to cleaning out her toes.

Zuko waits until they make camp for the night before he once more faces off with the menaces.

He corners her after everyone else is asleep she having volunteered for first watch.

"Come for another heart to heart?" she asks when he is close enough she won't be over heard by the others.

"I had thought we had reached a truce." he conceded.

She shrugged. "I like you up until you start flirting with sugar queen."

This makes his head spin, "I don't see how me and Katara would be a bad thing for you." Zuko points out.

"She is using you." Toph tells him. "You have it in your head that she is innocent and honest but the only reason any of them let you come along on this joy ride was to manipulate you. She bats her pretty eyes at you and you're suddenly an obedient dog being lead around on a leash. How do you know if she can even follow through with what she has offered? Have you ever even seen her heal anyone?" Toph asks.

Zuko can feel the anger returning. He doesn't understand why the doubt seeps in. He has every reason to trust Katara and not one reason to believe Toph whom he had witnessed on more than one occasion mess with people.

Her face is deadpan serious. Then she laughs like it is all a big joke. "You are so eager to doubt. Of course Katara can heal you, and make sure to invite me to the wedding that is if you're still alive when Aang finds out."

"Find out about what?" the boy in the bandanna asks suddenly standing behind Zuko.

"That Toph is in love with you." Zuko states, percectly calm and collected. With Toph's red face there would be no denying it.

Zuko turned to face Aang before placing a sympathetic hand on the boy's shoulder and walking back to his sleeping bag that was besides Sokka. Leaving the two love birds to hash out things for themselves. If Zuko could survive Azula, he could survive Toph Be Fong.


End file.
